


Pursued by a bear

by MossyFlossy



Series: Life Outside the Library [6]
Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Violence, Music, Romance?, Theatre, dumb life choices, mental health discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-06-02 20:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 40,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19449040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MossyFlossy/pseuds/MossyFlossy
Summary: Nine months after removing O'Hara's influence over Kai's dreams, his and Irene's relationship is stronger than ever. When they receive an invite to a charity gala and the plea to help one of Kai's childhood friends, things start going more and more wrong, and the Fae may have more tricks up his sleeves than previously anticipated, and Irene isn't sure if they will weather this storm.





	1. Chapter 1

When Irene returned from work, she did not expect to find two Dragons draped over the couches in the lounge. She’d expected one, and possibly The Fae. Kai had taken to calling them that and she’d got into the habit too. Kai was on the small love seat underneath the window, legs draped over the arm as he was too long to lay on it otherwise. She usually took that seat to curl up with a book on, he’d pout from the couch or armchair on the other side of the room, though the armchair was usually left for when Vale was over.

The other Dragon was new to her, he had pale golden hair but was the first Dragon she had seen with relatively short hair as it was cut choppy to his ears rather than falling between his shoulder blades, or even longer. His eyes were a slightly darker gold and he had the same pale skin as Kai, though his veins showed more green than blue. He was handsomely dressed in expensive but simple clothes. Though, Irene would not say that he had quite the striking looks of Kai or Li Ming, he had an almost boyish look to him that was attractive in its own right.

“Irene!” Kai came to his feet in a small bound. “I didn’t expect you back until tonight.”

“I was finished earlier than I expected.” She said. The other Dragon got to his feet; he was only an inch taller than she was. “Hello.”

“You must be miss Winters.” He said, pressing his hand to his heart and giving her a formal half bow. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Irene, this is Tam, we went to school together.” Irene had thought the Dragon, Tam, to have been much younger than Kai, but evidently not.

“A pleasure to meet you Tam.” She said, holding her hand out for him to shake. “Is everything… alright?”

“Yes and no.” Kai said with a sigh, tossing himself back into the loveseat. Tam sat again, so Irene took the armchair, moving the newspaper that had been abandoned on it first. “We have an invite to a charity gala that is thrown annually by a member of my Uncle’s court. They tend to be pretty good events, lots of fun and all for a good cause.”

“And the bad?” Irene asked nervously.

“Another friend of mine, Lux.”

“My twin.” Tam said and Kai nodded.

“Pretty much my closest friend growing up. No offence Tam.”

“More offended that my own twin would say the same thing.” He replied with a small smile.

“Lux has a son. I know I have explained that male Dragons are always raised by their father, but we do consider it cruel to take the child as a new-born, when they need their mother. She had an agreement with the child’s father that she would be allowed to keep him with her for the first six months, and then she’d be able to visit him whenever she wanted to, and that he could visit her whenever he wished when he was older. The father has since gone back on the agreement.”

“My nephew would be four months old now.” Tam said. “I have never met him, and Lux woke up shortly after giving birth to find her son taken by him. He claims that they had a signed contract that agrees with what he is saying. Lux disputes this and said that they only had a verbal contract. But she cannot prove this, and therefore is not being believed. She is… Not the same. I came to ask Kai if he could do anything to help.”

“I can speak to my uncle, but without any proof that he has done something, broken an agreement, I don’t think I will be able to get very far.” Kai said. “I don’t want to get her hopes up when all I may be able to do is get her to see him once.” He sighed. “I don’t even know if I will be able to do that. You are the politician, not me.”

“Local politics is very different to court politics. And believe me, I have tried. I can’t argue about this impassively. I am biased. I hate to say this, but you have been gone for nearly eight years Kai, you are able to argue for her from what would appear to be an unbiased position.”

“Except for the fact that my brother is in a relationship with your sister.” Kai said tiredly. “His older sister.” He explained to Irene. “Li Yen. We share a niece.”

“I didn’t know you had a niece.”

“A couple I think but Shui actually does go to see his daughter a lot. He’s probably the brother I am closest to… don’t tell him I said that, he will never let me live it down.” Kai said. “Anyway. I have multiple connections to you. If your uncle can’t do it, I don’t know how I can.” Tam exhaled. “I’ll try. And I will talk to Wu Kun. He may listen to me.”

“Thank you.” Tam said. “I hate seeing Lux like this. She’d been a bit better recently, since she’s doing… something for the gala. I don’t actually know what, something to do with the music I believe, she’s been spending a lot of time up at the theatre with Yen. It’s a good distractor, though she is pushing herself too hard in my opinion. I know she hasn’t been sleeping well. Maybe a few hours a night.”

“That bad?”

“Someone took her son whilst she slept, I think she is scared that something else will go wrong next time she sleeps for too long.” Tam shrugged. “If nothing else, you coming to visit will at least cheer her up a little bit. I think she missed you. She was so angry when you left. Once we all stopped panicking that was.” Kai at least had the humility to blush and cringe slightly.

“I didn’t mean to disappear the way that I did. Everything happened so fast and… I guess I got a bit carried away.”

“I can’t blame you; I want to leave sometimes.” Tam shrugged. “And at least you’re happy.” Kai flicked his eyes to Irene for a second.

“Yes, I am.” He said. Irene tried not to blush as she smiled in spite of herself. He looked away again.

“That’s good. She stopped being mad a while ago anyway. It’s been eight years; she can’t hold a grudge for that long.” Kai laughed. “I should get home; she’ll panic if she doesn’t know where I am as well.”

“You two live together?”

“We have been for the past year. And I wouldn’t let her live alone with everything that has happened. She’s barely holding it together with help. I wouldn’t leave her alone.”

“Will you both be able to attend?” Tam asked as he was collecting his coat to leave, he looked between them.

“I will have to see.” Irene said. “But hopefully I will be allowed the time off.”

“How long have you known Lux and Tam then?” Irene asked as they curled up on the couch together after dinner. “You seemed close.”

“There’s actually only two weeks between us in age, and their mother is in my father’s court. We practically grew up together. They probably have so many embarrassing stories about me as a child.” Irene smiled. “And then we went to school together. We must have been nightmares when we were all together.” He was smiling now too as he reminisced. “Lux had some problems growing up. I don’t think she was happy a lot of the time. Her mother didn’t have a lot of time for her, so she often stayed with her uncle. Li Ming practically raised her, and she joined my uncle’s court to be closer to him and her sister.”

“We’d wreak havoc, half of the time it was Tam and I trying to cheer her up because she was fighting with their mother. The other half of the time it was stupid children doing stupid things. Great fun though. Did break my wrist a few times. Nearly got arrested, did get dragged back by the guards a few times.”

“I had nothing like that, I was an only child and no other Librarian’s had children. I was pretty much alone until I went to school. It was probably why I was really bad at socialising to begin with.” Irene said. Kai slipped his arm around her shoulders and held her close. “It was lonely really. I never thought that it was but now that I look back at it, I would never put a child through that.”

“Would you ever have children?” Kai asked curiously.

“I have never really thought about it.” She shrugged. “I haven’t even held a baby before.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. I probably don’t have much of a maternal instinct anyway. I don’t know how to be a mother. Do you want to have children?”

“I think so. Not right now though. Life is hectic enough; I wouldn’t want to put a baby into that. But maybe one day, I would like to have children.” She nodded slowly. “I doubt that will happen for a long time though. I am not in a rush.” That made her relax a little, she wouldn’t have to make any decisions any time soon.


	2. Chapter 2

It was warm. Irene squinted in the bright sunlight. She was stood outside of the Brighton university library where the link to this world was. She was dressed in cropped jeans and a loose fitting shirt, a canvas tote bag hung on her shoulder.

Kai had said that he would meet her by the pier, she’d chosen to go through the Library so that she could drop some things off whilst she was there, and get some clothes to wear and bring with her, though she’d have to get a gown for the gala, she’d found a couple of outfits to bring with her.

She shoved sunglasses onto the bridge of her nose so that she wasn’t squinting. It was the heart of summer and she could feel the heat burning her skin, she’d have to get some sun cream, though hopefully Kai had some she could use, he would burn much quicker than she would.

She didn’t know Brighton well and had to ask for directions a few times when she got lost and eventually, she managed to find her way to the shore and the pier.

Kai was sat with two people, one she recognised at Tam, the other was definitely Lux, she had the same hair as her brother though hers was in a tight braid that dropped to her hips and would probably be even longer when it was loose.

“Kai!” She called his name to get his attention and he jerked, she’d made him jump, the other two as well by the looks of it. Oops. She kicked her pumps off before stepping onto the sand and padding over to join them. “Please tell me you have sun cream, I am burning.” He gave her a small bottle. “You must be Lux, pleasure to meet you.” She gave Lux a smile, Lux’ returned smile was small and reserved.

“You too.” She said quietly. Irene sat down and quickly applied sun cream to her bare skin. “My uncle speaks very highly of you, his Majesties Ao Shun and Ao Guan do as well.” She was dressed in shorts and a vest top, but she had fabric bands that went from wrist to the top of her arms, though they weren’t attached to her top. There was an absent look in her eyes as she stared out to the sea.

“Did you manage to get some clothes?” Kai asked, nodding towards Irene’s bag that she’d put by her feet and tucked her shoes into so that they couldn’t get sandy.

“Yes. But I will need to find a dress for the gala, I had no idea what to look for in the wardrobe, or in my own room.” She said. “Hopefully I will be able to find something.”

“I need to pick up a suit.” Kai said.

“And I need to pick up my dress.” Lux said, she had a melodic quality to her voice. “You could come with me to find something to wear.”

“That would be great.” Irene said. “I hate shopping with Kai.”

“Hey!” He protested.

“You are a bit fussy.” Tam said. “And you have impossibly high standards and I am inevitably going to have to go with you, aren’t I?”

“You jinxed yourself.” Lux said, tilting her head to look at her brother. Upon closer examination, her face was sharper, more angular than Tam’s. The same high cheekbones and sharp nose that Li Ming had, the family resemblance was clear. She wore makeup, Irene hadn’t seen that on Dragons before, heavy eyeliner and a matt black lipstick. “Now you have to do it as punishment.” Tam groaned and dropped his head.

“But all the blues look the same!” Irene had been there before.

“No they don’t.” Kai said, shaking his head.

“I am certain that navy, oxford blue and Prussian blue are exactly the same colours, you are just pedantic.”

“Well, I am pedantic, but you are wrong, those are very different shades.” Kai said. “Prussian is too grey, and navy is too bright.”

“I thought navy was dark.” Irene said, frowning.

“No that is Oxford, a common misconception.” Kai said. “I don’t like navy blue.”

“I thought that was the colour of your blood.” Lux said, she glanced up at him, she was small for a Dragon, Irene was trying to think of a polite way to ask about that. She was short, by Dragon standards at least, and was the same height as Irene was. Her arms and legs did seem to be toned and muscular, but she was still slim.

“Oddly enough… no. I think I would be dead if I had blue blood.”

“Unless you had porphyria.” Irene said. “They do call it the royal disease after all and does make the blood take on a blueish tinge.”

“You do know some really random information.”

“Never read Porphyria’s Lover Kai?” Tam said, he laced his fingers behind his head and lay back on the sand. “It’s a classic. Hang on, we studied it at school, didn’t we?”

“We did. I just didn’t bother looking up what porphyria was.”

“Explains your literature grade.” Lux said, Kai poked her in the shoulder, and she batted his hand away.

“I did well.”

“Uh huh.” She said before stretching her arms up and yawning.

“Tired?”

“Under caffeinated.” She said before checking her watch. “Train isn’t for another hour. Who wants a coffee?” They wondered along the sea front until they found a small café that wasn’t too busy. Lux ordered, ignoring Kai when he proffered a black credit card, in favour of using her own.

“The train is going to be a long one.” Tam said. “Sorry. I live out in the south west of London, near Kew gardens.” Irene nodded as she slung her bag on the back of her chair and watched the brother go to grab the tray of coffees from his sister.

Kai slipped an arm around her hip and leant in close to speak to her. “Do you mind if I tell them about us? I trust them to not tell anyone else if I ask them not to.” His breath was warm against her ear and tickled slightly.

“It is fine with me.” She replied in an equally low voice. “Just, not anyone else, please.”

“Of course.” He said. Kai would have liked to have been able to tell everyone about their relationship, but if he did so he knew that it would be hanging on tenterhooks with Irene’s position as the ambassador under threat, as well her allowance to live and work in the same world as him.

He straightened up again as the twins joined and handed round coffee, Lux and Irene both had iced coffees, Kai had his usual black coffee and Tam had tea. The glass was blessedly cool when Irene wrapped her fingers around it.

The walk up to the train station was shorter and cooler than the walk down to the pier, Kai slung his arm around her shoulders and Irene smiled. It was nice to be in a modern world were small signs of affection like this was normal and acceptable, even if you weren’t in a romantic relationship. Neither Tam nor Lux commented on it until they got to the train station.

“How long have you two been together?” Tam asked curiously whilst Kai bought the tickets, Lux was sending someone a message on her mobile. Irene had to think for a moment.

“You know, I actually don’t know… A year and a half, I think. Give or take.” Irene said with a frown. “It will be two years come October, though I do not actually recall the exact date.”

“Not one for that kind of thing?” He asked.

“Things with work had been chaotic for a while when we got together.” Irene explained. “And afterwards there was the peace conference and setting up the embassy. I didn’t bother keeping track of the date. Kai may remember.” And hopefully he wouldn’t be upset that she had forgotten. They hadn’t done anything for their first anniversary, so maybe he didn’t remember either.

Neither twin asked when Kai came back over, he dispersed tickets so that they could get through the gate and then Lux led the way to the platform with a London train waiting until it’s departure time. They found a group of four seats, Lux tucked herself into the corner and leant her head against the window, Tam sat next to her and Kai and Irene took the two seats opposite.

“Yen said she’d cook for us if we swing by hers when we get back.” Tam said. “I think she is finally taking a break from planning. Or Shui has made her take a break.”

“Does he live with her?” Kai asked. Tam nodded.

“When he’s in this world at least.” He said. “I think he’s usually here once a month for a few days if he can get away with it. He likes to be around for Mei. That and he and Yen are sickening when they’re together, like an old married couple but more… sticky. I am fairly certain that is the wrong word, but it works.”

“No, I would say that describes them pretty well.” Kai said. “Shui has been besotted with her for years.”

“Hey Kai, remember when you had a crush on Yen?” Tam said with a smirk that was practically devious.

“Remember when you had a crush on Shui?” He replied.

“I have good taste.”

“Same as Yen’s though.” Lux said. “I for one can say that I have never had a crush on anyone in Kai’s family.” She paused. “Or Kai either for that matter. I would say I have taste, but I am not entirely sure about that one anymore.”

“Things I say to myself whenever Kai finished off the tea.” Irene quipped, drawing a small smile from the other woman. “Or uses up all of the hot water.”

“That is quite something coming from the woman who always finishes the milk.”

“You like your tea and coffee black, I don’t.” Irene shrugged. She was sat opposite Lux and took the opportunity to lean against the window, though with her shoulder so that she could still see the two men. “I think it’s fair.”

“Hardly.” Kai muttered. “So, what have you two actually been up to since I left? I meant to ask earlier but forgot.”

“You know it’s nearly been a decade, right?” Lux said. “A lot has happened.”

“Give me the shortened version then.” Kai said. “Though I suppose I could probably work some of it out.”

“Go on then, now I am curious.” Tam said.

“You went to… either Harvard or Yale, studied psychology, I know you always wanted to do that. Probably did your masters before getting involved in politics.” Kai said, looking at Tam and scrutinising him. “Probably because your uncle said you would be good at it, and it is very useful to have a local politician in a world where you spend a lot of time, my uncle does enjoy this world.” 

“Not bad.” Tam admitted. “But it was Stanford university, actually. And yes, I did get my masters, if I wasn’t so busy, I would do a doctorate. Lux is going to be a little harder to guess.”

“Hypothesise, not guess.” Irene said. Kai nearly laughed. “I think I have been spending too much time with Vale. We have a friend who’s a detective.” She explained to the twins.

“Royal college, obviously.” Kai said. “Then… honestly, I have got no idea. Socialite?”

“I guess.” She said tiredly and shrugged. “Pretty much. I am just there to look pretty.”

“And you do it so well.” Kai said. Lux nearly smiled. Her lipstick had not smudged the entire time, Irene certainly would have ended up with it a mess by now, especially in the heat, her eyeline was a little smudged though, like her eyes had been watering at some point. Probably from all the sand. “I was correct about the royal college, right?”

“Yes, you were.” She said with a nod. “I didn’t do post grad though. Unlike some nerd we know. Uh… you didn’t do one, did you miss Winters?”

“You can call me Irene. And no, I didn’t even go to university. I left school at sixteen and immediately started training to be a Librarian.”

“That was young.” Tam remarked.

“My parents are Librarians; I always knew that I would become one as well.” Irene explained. “I didn’t see a reason to wait around.”

“It took me years to work out what I wanted to do.” Tam said. “I suppose that, if you know, there is no point in waiting around.”

* * *

Tam let them straight into the house that they had walked to from the train station. “I apologise in advance.” He said as he held open the door, glancing over his shoulder to address Irene. “Yen? We’re here!”

“I’m in the kitchen!” Someone replied. Tam stepped out of the way so that they could all shuffle inside. “Give me a minute.”

“Why did he apologise?” Irene asked, murmuring to Kai in a low voice.

“I don’t know. As far as I know, Shui and Yen are a nice normal couple, and Mei is about three now? I haven’t seen her since she was a baby though, when I went to visit before Paris.” Kai said with a shrug.

Someone came running down the stairs and stopped at the end of the hallway. He was the same height as Kai, with the same black hair and bluish tinge to it, but his eyes were darker than Kai’s, and he didn’t have the same serious expression in his eyes.

“Shui.” Kai grinned as he stepped forward to embrace his brother in a tight hug. “It is good to see you again. It has been far too long.”

“That it has.” Shui returned the embrace. “Look at you so busy with that embassy of yours, and what other chaos you get up to.”

“I don’t get into that much trouble.” Kai said.

“I beg to differ.” Irene said.

“Shui, this is Irene, the Librarian ambassador.” Kai said, moving to the side and indicating for Irene to step forward. She wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was, curtsey? Bow? He was a prince after all, but this wasn’t exactly a formal situation. Shui must have noticed her hesitation, because he grinned at her.

“Good to meet you miss Winters.” He said, holding out his hand for her to shake. “It is good to meet you.” Irene shook his hand. _“She’s pretty.”_ He said to Kai in Chinese. _“And your type.”_

_“And she is fluent in Chinese.”_ She said, Shui looked at her, and then laughed. Kai just looked embarrassed. “I am not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not.”

“It was intended as a compliment.” Shui assured her. “Come through to the lounge. I just need to finish putting Mei to bed, she is refusing to have a bath right now.”

“She isn’t joining us?”

“Yen gave her dinner early so we could put her to bed without interrupting us later.” Shui explained. “I shouldn’t be too long, hopefully.” He bounded back up the stairs again. As Lux led them into the large living room that led into the dining room.

Irene could smell the food cooking in the kitchen and hear someone moving around, as well as footsteps upstairs. Then, suddenly and almost succeeding in making her jump, a tall woman appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.

She had the same golden hair as Tam did, darker than Lux’ and bright eyes of warm hazel tinged with the same gold as her hair. She smiled.

“You must be Irene, or do you prefer miss Winters?”

“Irene is good.” She said. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“You too, I am glad that you could join us.” Yen said. “Sit down, dinner won’t be ready for a bit longer. Tam can you sort out some drinks?” Tam sighed dramatically before heading into the kitchen, only to stick his head back out a second later.

“I should probably ask what people want to drink, shouldn’t I?” He said.

“I’d see what Yen has to drink first.” Lux pointed out. “So that you know what there actually is in the kitchen.” He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. Lux rolled her eyes as he disappeared again. “Do you have any siblings Irene?”

“No, I am an only child.” Irene said. “And I didn’t grow up around any other children.”

“Lucky.”

“I heard that!” Yen called. “No Dim sum for you.”

“That’s fine. I can order take out. It is basically the same.”

“I am deeply offended.” Yen said. “My cooking is far better than takeout food.” She appeared in the doorway again. “Besides, take out doesn’t get you alcohol.”

“You can order alcohol as take out, also, I don’t drink that much.” Lux replied. Yen huffed. “But I will admit, that your cooking is better than take out. Much healthier.”

“Thank you.” Yen said with a nod of her head, and she vanished again. Tam appeared again with a bottle of wine and jug of water as well as glasses for everyone, since he had decided that that was the easier option. “Just water for me, I need to be up early.” Whilst Kai poured wine, Lux filled her own glass with water.

“Someone has to make sure you all make it home.” She said with a shrug. “Also I have lost all tolerance for alcohol and I do not want to embarrass myself.” Kai laughed. “I can hardly handle caffeine before getting a migraine as well. It is an absolute nightmare.” 

“Not that you could handle your alcohol beforehand.” Tam said. “So many embarrassing stories.”

“Which shall not get mentioned unless you want me to embarrass you.” She said. “The same goes for Kai.” She gave him a completely fake, saccharine smile.

“I was hoping to hear some stories of when Kai was young.” Irene said as she picked up her glass of wine. “That’s a shame.”

“There are pictures somewhere.” Yen called from the kitchen. “I have loads of him and the twins when they were children.”

“And I have loads in my room at home.” Lux said. “They aren’t particularly embarrassing though.”

“Come on, this isn’t fair.” Kai said. “Lux, Tam, please, don’t tell any of the stories I know you are thinking about.”

“Fine.” Tam said almost reluctantly. “Pictures aren’t off limits though. I think there are a couple on the walls. I am not redecorating because you are a bit embarrassed by the teenager version of you.”

“But he was an idiot.” Kai muttered into his wine before taking a drink of it. “I suppose that it fair though. Just, no stories of the stupid things that we got up to at school.”

“Less fun, but fine.” Tam said. Lux just nodded as she tucked her legs up onto the sofa and curled up. She looked tired and ready to doze off if she was left alone for long enough.

Fifteen minutes later, there were footsteps on the stairs again. “Say goodnight to mummy.” Shui said, Kai turned round to see his brother holding the hand of a young child who was dressed in fluffy pyjamas and had wet hair, dark as his, plastered to her chubby cheeks by water. When she saw him and Irene, she pressed herself to her father’s leg. “Come up Princess, don’t be shy now.” She shook her head and Shui sighed before picking her up and settling her on his hip. “I take it you don’t remember who your uncle Kai is?” She shook her head again. “Well, you were a baby last time you saw him. He’s my baby brother.”

“Baby brother? Really?” Kai asked. “Hello Mei.” He gave the small child a wave.

“She isn’t great with new people.” Shui explained. “Come on Maisy-Daisy.” He said. “At least say good night to Tam and Lux?” The young girl still didn’t respond. “Alright, let’s say good night to mummy first then.”

“She’s sweet and very talkative, when she feels like talking.” Tam said. “Not always in one language since they’re trying to teach her three at once.”

“It’s the best time to learn languages.” Irene said. “I spoke four by the time I was five. What are they teaching her?”

“English, Chinese and Hanoi.” He said. “I suppose it is easier when the brain is more malleable, and you’re set up to learn other languages better when you are older.”

“It does make for some interesting conversations though.” Kai said. “Namely when we both forget a word in English and keep going around in circles until we either give up, remember it, or have to get assistance.” Lux laughed. “Or when Irene is still have asleep and the full English language is not quite within her grasp yet.”

“That doesn’t happen very often though.” Irene said. “I speak fourteen languages and can read four more. I make mistakes. Especially there are so many cognates that sound so similar but have minute differences, or words that if mispronounced slightly, mean the completely wrong thing.”

“Don’t you think fourteen is a bit excessive?” Tam asked. “Do you even use them all?”

“Not really.” She shrugged. “I enjoy learning them though. Currently I am working on my Korean because I am not very good with the written form at the moment. Chinese, English, French and Russian tend to be the languages that I need to use most. But the others come in handy and opens up a whole new world of books to read.”

“Sometimes I forget that Librarians do actually enjoy reading, and not just general thievery. No offence.” Lux said.

“Some of us enjoy the general thievery parts too.” Irene said. “And the whole helping to stabilise and save worlds is quite satisfying. But I prefer being able to have some peace and quiet and a good book.”

“Hard to find peace and quiet living with Kai.” Shui said. Mei was back on the floor now, and she toddled over to the couch that Lux and Tam were seated on to climb up and hug both of them and say goodnight.

“Peace and quiet seems to avoid me most of the time. Or perhaps I am a magnet for trouble.” She said.

“That you are.” Kai said as Mei got off the sofa. She had a stuffed rabbit in one hand that she had been chewing on the ear of, and she put it back in her mouth. She waved to Kai and Irene. Then she took the rabbit back out of her mouth and turned back to Lux.

“Can I have lullaby?” She asked. “Please.” Lux blinked.

“Ask your mother.” She said after a pause.

“’Kay.” She said, shoved the rabbit ear back in her mouth, and ran off.

“Why did I bother buying her that if all she does is try and eat it?” Tam asked, shaking his head. “On the upside, she thinks it has special powers.”

“Magic bunny?” Kai asked with a smirk.

“She broke her leg, so I bought it for her in the hospital.” He explained. “They used magic to fix her up again, but she was asleep at the time, so she is convinced that the rabbit did it.”

“I had a stuffed dog when I was little.” Irene said. “I think I still have it somewhere.”

“Can you find anything in your Library rooms?” Kai asked, remembering the mess that they were last time he had seen them with stacks upon stacks of books all about the place. “That isn’t a book.”

“Bold of you to assume that I can find the book that I am looking for in there.” She said. “And it will be underneath my bed, probably with other things I still have from my childhood. Picture books and that sort of thing. My parents probably have a lot more in their rooms. Librarians are bad with getting rid of anything.”

“Mummy said I can have one.” Mei said. She was sat at Yen’s hip now.

“And then she is to go to sleep. Aren’t you?” Yen said, before kissing her daughter’s cheek. “Aren’t you.”

“Yes mummy.” She said as Lux got up and easily took her from Yen to carry upstairs. “Night night.” She waved to the entire room before the pair headed upstairs.

“She’s adorable.” Kai said. “She definitely takes after Yen.” Shui gasped in dramatic shock.

“You haven’t seen her throw a tantrum.” Yen said. “Drenched both of us the other day because she didn’t want to go to day care. And then, she didn’t want to leave.” Kai winced. “It could have been worse I suppose. I remember three toddlers, who when they all decided that it wasn’t nap time, created quite the storm.” Tam and Kai both looked into their drinks. “I can handle Mei alone; I am so glad I didn’t have to handle you three together when you were little.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter was a lot longer than I thought it was when I wrote it  
> Please comment! they give me life


	3. Chapter 3

Kai’s jaw dropped as Irene came down the stairs. “You look stunning.” He breathed as she made her way to the bottom step. The dress clung to her curves, a deep blue that matched his shirt. She had curled her hair and it lay draped over her right shoulder; a thin silver chain hung around her throat with a crescent moon as the pendant. She gave him a small shy smile that Kai was sure he hadn’t seen before. She didn't wear any makeup but her cheeks were pink with a faint blush.

He cupped her jaw and softly kissed her. “You are absolutely beautiful Xingan.” She was blushing furiously now, and he smiled, kissing her forehead. “I love you.” She opened her mouth to speak.

“I think that I am going to throw up, of all the pet names.” Tam said in deadpan, interrupting her before she could reply. Irene pulled away to laugh as Kai glared at Tam. She hadn’t noticed him sat watching them from through the living room door. She flushed scarlet and he nearly laughed at her embarrassment. 

“You ruined it.” Kai complained.

“Don’t be sickly in front of me.” Tam countered.

“I got distracted and forgot that you were there.” Kai admitted. “She is just… stunning.” His eyes raked over her, more admiration than anything else, though the spark in his eyes promised something else once they were home again. Tam looked Irene up and down.

“You do look lovely Irene.” He said.

“Thank you.” She said, still blushing. “You both look fantastic too.” She glanced at Kai out of the corner of her eyes.

“I am leaving. You have two minutes to be cutesy whilst I drink enough whiskey to forget that I am single and alone.” He got up and disappeared and Irene took the opportunity to wrap her arms around Kai and lean up to kiss him. He cupped her jaw with one hand, the other settled on her hips. she was wearing some kind of salve on her lips, he could taste it. Cherry. He smiled against her lips before parting the kiss. 

“Well, I know that I am going to a gala tonight with the most handsome man there.” She said, smoothing out the lapels of his suit jacket. His suit jacket and trousers were black whilst his shirt was a dark blue that matched his eyes and was almost the same colour as her dress. He wore a silver waistcoat that matched his tie. He smiled and kissed her again, hand underneath her chin. She was smiling against his lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Kai said. “ You are beautiful, Absolutely breathtaking. Alright Tam, we are done, you can stop drinking. Please don’t get drunk tonight, your sisters will kill you and I hate funerals.” They heard the clink of a glass being set down.

“Great, the car will be here soon.” He called. “They’ll be more angry if we are late.”

“It is fashionable to be late.” Kai said with a flourish of his hand. Silver and black cufflinks caught the light.

“Not when Lux is apparently one mistake away from having a conniption. Yen was texting me, apparently there was a problem with lighting earlier and she nearly started crying.” He slid a phone into the inner pocket of his jacket. “Ready to go?” Irene had a clutch in one hand, and she hooked her free arm around Kai’s.

“I have everything that I need.” Irene said, looking up at him, Kai smiled down at her whilst Tam made a gagging noise.

“This looks fantastic.” Tam said, before kissing Yen’s cheek, she was waiting for them at the entrance to the theatre when they got there. “Is everything going well so far?” Yen looked around.

“I think so. Nothing big has gone wrong yet.” There was someone, a young man, on the stage singing. “And I am trying not to think about it too much, in case I jinx myself and ruin everything. Touch wood.” She tapped Tam’s forehead. He batted her hand away. “Your uncle is up on the balcony, if you wish to speak with him. As is Shui, and Mei, and our uncle.” Kai nodded.

“Mother cancelled on me about an hour ago.” She said to Tam. “Though I don’t think anyone is surprised by that. She said she’d try to be here next time.” She sighed. “So never. And sorry Kai, your father cancelled as well. Though he did ask for me to give you his best and his apologies, but something came up that he had to see to. He did send quite the donation though. Right, negativities aside, I need to circulate and socialise. If you will excuse me? Please enjoy yourselves.” She vanished into the throngs of people milling around and talking.

“I should go and see my uncle.” Kai said. “Though, shall we take a walk around first?” He looked around the room as he spoke, taking in dancers and musicians and milling-about guests.

“I am going to find the bar.” Tam said. “Have fun you two and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“How boring.” Kai said before Tam flipped him off and disappeared. Kai chuckled, before offering Irene his arm. “Time to mingle?” Irene supressed a groan, she hated socialising and didn't even try to hide the fact that she would rather be in bed with a good book than at such events. “I won’t make you dance with me.”

“I don’t mind the dancing too awfully.” She said. “It is the being in front of a lot of people that I am not fond of. And besides,” she exhaled. “We have to come across as discreet, or we could both get into a lot of trouble.” With his family around that became a more worrying issue, if they found out they may report her to the Library and she would probably get reassigned far away from him, or confined to the Library for the next decade, where he couldn't get to her.

“I know. I know.” He said with a sigh. “I am still you escort for the night though. So I don’t think anyone is going to say anything.” They made their way through the people, both collecting a glass of wine that was on the trays of waiters who flitted through the crowd, dressed in neat black suits. 

All of the men, like Kai, were in sharp cut suits, many stuck to stark black and white, but the few Dragons that Irene saw (they were very common in this world, and were not even secretive about their presence it would seem) wore shirts or waistcoats in the same shades that she believed their scales would be in their true form. The women were all in evening gowns, jewelled necklaces sparkling in the light. Many of them were like Irene, escorted by men who wore clothes that correlated with their own, couples. Maybe they were a bit obvious, though in Irene’s defence, Lux picked out her dress. And again, the Dragons that she noticed, wore dresses the colour that they would probably be in their natural form. Yen's own dress had been gold, and she'd already seen that Lux's was also gold, but a paler, less radiant shade.

There was a space cleared for people dancing, and they paused to watch them for a few minutes. “If you do want to dance, I will, just later.” Irene said as she watched the lights catch on jewellery and the rich fabric of dresses flutter as people spun about the floor with practised ease, more elegantly than she would have managed. Kai smiled before they moved on, towards Lux.

Lux was sat at the piano, she wasn’t playing anything at the time, and was instead sorting through the sheet music to set up on the stand. Her pale hair was in a bun with tendrils falling around her face. She wasn’t wearing her customary dark make up for the night, and unlike many of the women, she wasn’t wearing gloves.

“You both look fantastic.” She said, looking up and offering a smile. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Did you just get here?”

“We did, sorry, did we miss anything?” Kai asked.

“No, have you seen Yen, she said she needed a word with you.” She said, straightening up the stack of music, fidgeting nervously with the corner of the pages.

“We did when we got here.” Kai said. “Sorry about your mother.” 

“I didn’t think she’d show up.” Lux shrugged, Irene wondered for a moment if the casualness was a lie but there was no sign of a falsehood in her eyes. Irene was surprised by the fact that lux showed no sign of caring that her mother wasn't here, from Kai's tone of voice, she had expected the other woman to be a little upset at the least. “I haven’t seen her in years now. It doesn’t matter. I think Yen is pretty cut up about it though, she promised she’d be here.” Kai frowned.

“Not even after…” Lux shook her head.

“Work was more important.” The singer on the stage took a bow as the song ended. “I have to go and make sure that the performers are still on schedule.” She said. “If you’ll excuse me?”

“Go.” Kai said.

“Break a leg.” Irene added. Lux’s smile was all nervousness as she nodded her head and hurried away, skirts clutched in one hand so that she wouldn’t trip, and that no one could stand on the hems and trip her. They moved on again, stopping at the bar to get another drink, Tam sat on a barstool chatting up a young man, though he gave them a smile and small wave as they passed him. 

“You know.” Kai said, ducking his head to whisper to Irene. “I definitely have the most beautiful date tonight.” His voice was low so that only she could hear him, but the husky quality of it made her shiver, like someone had just run a finger down her spine in an effort to tickle her and had only partially succeeded.

“Here I was thinking that I did.” She replied with a smile. Kai smirked. She wasn’t much of a flirt compared to Kai, managing the occasional comment that could be construed as flirting but not much more than that, and certainly not whilst around other people.

“Well, aren’t we both lucky then.” He said, straightening up and glancing around the room.

“That we are.”

Irene wouldn’t consider herself an extrovert, so after an hour of socialising and making small talk with people that she didn’t want to ever talk to again because of how dull they were, she was tired of it. And the women batting their eyelashes at Kai were not helping, though, to his credit, he ignored their attempts at flirting, or wasn’t even noticing the advances. She kept catching him watching her and half ignoring the conversations that he was part of, answering questions with hums, or having to ask for people to repeat themselves, claiming that he was instead absorbed by the music.

“Excuse me a moment?” She said to the man talking to her. “I just need to get a drink; I will be back in just a minute.” She got a fresh glass of wine, it was cold against her hands, the room was quite warm, and she was grateful for the cold drink and the break from conversations that she could not care less about without seeming incredibly rude.

“Hate socialising?” Yen asked, she had a glass of water in hand. “I am getting tired of it too.”

“It is for a great cause, but I am more of a stay at home, and read kind.” Irene said. Yen nodded. “The music is fantastic though.”

“You’ll have to let Lux know; she is stressing out backstage right now. But thank you though, it has taken a lot of hard work to get here. And thank heavens nothing has gone wrong I was expecting something to go wrong before we even got here.” Irene looked around the room.

“How much has been raised so far?” She asked curiously. Everyone in the room seemed like the kind with old money and no idea what they should do with it.

“A little under two-hundred-thousand right now.” Yen said, biting her lip, both her and Lux had a habit of doing that. “The target is five-hundred-thousand. I think we may actually manage it.”

“Good luck.” Irene said. “I should get back to Kai, I abandoned him in the midst of a very boring conversation.”

“No need.” Kai said. “I escaped too. Oh god please don’t make me go back there. I won’t make you dance.”

“I already said that I would dance with you, so that does not incentivise me.” Irene said, smirking. “But no, I wouldn’t go back if paid.” Yen laughed at the pair as Kai slipped an arm around Irene’s waist and stole her glass of wine out of her hand to take a sip, before returning it. She grimaced. “Now that is just unhygienic.” 

“Oh that is unhygienic?” Kai asked once Yen was gone. “I have half a mind to never kiss you again, because that would be unhygienic.”

“Do you honestly think you could?” She asked. “Never kiss me again, that is?” He looked at her for a moment before pouting.

“Touché.” He looked up to the balcony. “We should say hello to my uncle.” She nodded and looped her arm around his. “It would be the polite thing to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear things will actaully happen in the next chapter, and by happen I mean go wrong. For now, Irene doesnt know how to flirt and that is okay  
> Kudos and comments heal what shreds of a soul I have left   
> <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meant to post this on Saturday when I updated my other fic but was really not feeling, heat messes with my head a lot, so hopefully enjoy this a few days late

Ao Shun was sat surrounded by an entourage with Li Ming at his side. Shui had Mei sat on his lap as he conversed with the Dragons around them.

Kai went to one knee, his hand over his heart, and Irene sunk into a deep curtsey until they were told to rise again and offered a seat.

“Are you enjoying the event?” Kai asked.

“The musicians have been tolerable.” Ao Shun said with a wave of his hand. “But it is all for a worthy cause, so I can tolerate them for that. And maybe it will get better.”

“Everyone who has performed so far has stayed at one of the halfway homes.” Shui said. “For people who have had to completely uproot their lives and start again, I think that they are fantastic.”

“Is Yen making you soft, Shui?” Kai said with a laugh. “Or is it Mei doing that to you?” Shui looked at his daughter before peering over the balcony to try and spot Yen in her radiant gold.

“Would it be a bad thing if it were either?” He asked. “Or perhaps it is both.” He was smiling at Mei, who was more interested in chewing on her fingers. “And besides, the musicians are good. Our honoured Uncle just has very high standards.”

“Hmm.” Ao Shun said, looking past Shui and Kai to the stage. “I will admit that I am looking forward to Li Lux’s performance.”

“I still cannot believe that Yen managed to talk her into performing.” Shui said. “Begging may be a better description of it actually.”

“I thought she didn’t play anymore.” Kai said, frowning. “Or at least, that is what Tam said, she hadn’t been into her music room for months, and she didn’t sing much more than for Mei.”

“Precisely why some begging was involved.” Shui said. “Lux will do anything for Yen, everyone knows that. And I think that she was grateful for the distraction after everything that has happened.” Li Ming nodded. “And I think she is singing, not playing.”

“She did seem happy to talk about it when we spoke the other week.” Li Ming said. “Much better than she has been doing.”

“How are things going with the embassy.” Ao Shun asked, accepting a glass of wine from a servant. “My elder brother speaks highly of the work that you have been doing.”

“Well it has been quiet for the past couple of weeks.” Kai said, glancing at Irene. “We had a problem last summer, a Fae with a grudge against the treaty and he took it out on a Librarian, as well as myself, and the lady Mu Dan.”

“Yes, I heard about that.” His uncle said with a nod. “A Jupiter O’Hara. We hadn’t come across him before.”

“Neither had the Library.” Irene said. “Until I came across rumours about his book collection. We haven’t heard anything from him since, nor have any of my contacts and nor Lord Silver, who warned us to his plan.”

“Which is worrying, as he did issue what could be conceived as a threat.” Kai said. “But so far, nothing, and the embassy is warded when the Fae ambassador isn’t there.”

“Warded?” Ao Shun arched an eyebrow in a manner Irene had seen Kai do before. “I am unaware of how the magic of that world works.”

“It is warded with the Language.” Irene explained. “I own enough books that I can create a link to the Library, though not strong enough to create a door, it is enough to ward against chaos.” She decided to not mention that she could also ward against order and bar dragons from entering or tracking her to there. She’d never needed to do that though. “Fae cannot get through the ward without me removing it first. Which can only be done by using the Language, or by removing a book.” Ao Shun nodded.

“And is that an effective measure of security?” Li Ming asked.

“Well, it has worked in the past.” Irene said. “I have never tested to see how much power it would take to break it though.” There was a round of light applause for whoever was on the stage. “And I don’t think I want to invite over a very powerful Fae to see if they could break it, even if the Library would appreciate knowing the results, I would rather not try.” 

“The rest of our security is me, Irene shouting at things and half a dozen kitchen knives.” Kai said.

“I have a gun.” Irene said. “Somewhere.”

“Since when did you have a gun?”

“When did we go to Dublin? Six months ago? Seven?”

“Nine, that was August.” Kai said.

“It was?” Irene frowned. “That’s been longer than I thought. I need to check in with Seraphina. It’s been a few weeks since I spoke to her.”

“I suppose we have been busy.” Kai said. “One year anniversary of the treaty being signed. You’ve had quite a bit of Library work too.”

“Did you get a lot of work around the anniversary?” Ao Shun asked.

“A lot of petty things.” Kai explained. “We got inundated with people wanting to know answers about things we had no idea on. The Fae and I spent most of that month looking for the information whilst Irene dealt with everything else.” They’d had plans to spend their first anniversary together but had been too tired and had instead just gone to bed after a quick dinner.

“We missed you at the celebration.” He said.

“I am fairly certain that I spent most of the day asleep.” Irene said, he smiled slightly. “The Fae and Lord Silver insisted we go out for dinner to celebrate though. Vale came too as his assistance was invaluable.”

A microphone squeaked and they all looked at the stage, Yen stood in the middle. “Good evening, I hope you are all enjoying yourselves.” She said. Shui had started smiling as soon as he heard her voice and Mei clapped her hands together. “I just want to thank you all for coming tonight to support this wonderful organisation, and to thank you all for your generous donations. We have just reached halfway to our target.” She paused for applause.

She spoke for about five minutes about the charity that the money was being raised for, and what the plan for the money was going to be. “And with that out of the way, I would like to invite my sister to the stage.”

Lux took the microphone from Yen as she passed and slid it into the microphone stand. The lights dimmed and the music started.

“Her voice is fantastic.” Irene said as she began to sing, and a hush fell.

“She is, isn’t she.” She hadn’t noticed Yen’s approach and it had made her jump. Mei got off Shui and Yen scooped her up. “Time for you to go home.” She said. “Your babysitter will be here in a minute.”

“Want to stay.” Mei said.

“I know, but you need to go to sleep.” Yen said. “So shall we say goodbye to daddy?” The girl was pouted, but she still waved to everyone and Shui got up to kiss the top of her head, and then Yen.

“You were fantastic.” He said.

“We are running about fifteen minutes behind schedule, but that is fine, we factored in for that. Have you seen Tam? I thought he would be up here.”

“Last time I saw him he was flirting with someone at the bar.” Kai said, Yen snickered and nodded. “Expecting that?”

“Obviously.” She smiled. “Some things will never change and my brother’s fondness for drinks and pretty men shall be one of those things. I will be back in five minutes.” She said. “Your majesty.” She bobbed a curtsey to Ao Shun, unable to give a full display of obeisance with a child in her arms.

“Alright, I bullied Irene into agreeing to dance with me.” Kai said, getting to his feet. “If you don’t mind...” He offered Irene his hand, and she took us.

“Enjoy.” Ao Shun said, they nodded, and began to make their way around the balcony toward the stairs. They reached the top…

And then something exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading <3


	5. Chapter 5

The blast went off as Lux hit the last note. It roared through the room with dust and shrapnel. The concussive wave knocked many people off their feet, Kai swept Irene up and pinned her beneath him as the balcony shook, holding her tightly and curling himself around her to protect her.

It was chaos. Complete pandemonium. People were screaming, the speakers squawked painful feedback and Kai could hear Irene's breath, fast with a hitch as she tried to force herself to calm. He had one arm over the back of his head and the other over hers, just in case anything fell down on them.

The dust in the air made it hard to see but Kai eventually got off Irene. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head before staggering to her feet. Her ears were ringing, and everything was so loud that his voice sounded like she was underwater, listening to him from several feet under.

"Just bruises." She managed once the ringing had mostly stopped, taking in the scene. From the looks of it, no one had been severely hurt, there wasn't the heavy taste of blood on the air, just dust. "You?" He had a few small slices from shrapnel, but nothing significant. He took a deep breath and shook his head, forcing himself to calm.

"We should find the others." He said, she nodded and grabbed his hand. They didn't make it far when a shriek split the air.

"Help!" it had been picked up by the microphones and echoed through the chaos, cutting through feedback, maybe some of the ringing hadn’t been her ears.

"That's Lux." Kai paled under the streaked dust and ran for the stairs. Irene followed.

"Kai be careful, I think there's some- oof." She fell and landed with cry of pain. She struck her head on the step as she felt a twisted piece of metal, probably the balustrade, stab into her lower thigh. She took a deep breath and pushed away the nausea. Her dress was ripped, but the wound wasn’t bleeding too badly.

“How bad?” He asked, kneeling in front of her. Irene took another deep breath, tasting dust. Reaching down, she slid her fingers over the edge of the wound.

“Maybe an inch deep at most.” She said. “I think it missed the artery though.”

“You aren’t bleeding too heavily.” He could see better than she could in the dark.

“It could be blocking the flow of blood and I won’t know until it is pulled out.” She said, gritted her teeth as she probed the wound a little further. She probably shouldn’t but she wasn’t the kind to sit around and do nothing. She pulled her shawl off. “I’m going to pull it out, use that if it starts bleeding a lot, I may pass out.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for emergency services?” He asked. Irene shook her head.

“People need help.” She said, swallowing bile. She gripped the twisted metal and gave Kai a nod before she pulled it free from her flesh. She bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed, and to stop herself crying out again.

Dizzy with pain she took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes. “How badly is it bleeding?” She weakly asked. Kai reached into his jacket and pulled out a knife to cut a strip off the shawl and he quickly wrapped it around her thigh as tightly as I could.

“Not too badly.” Kai said. “How do you feel?”

“Sick.” She said. “But I’ll be fine. Help me up? We should find Lux.”

“I should leave you here.”

“She could be hurt.” Irene said. “I can help.” Kai looked like he wanted to argue, but instead he looped her arm around shoulders and helped her to her feet. Irene swore and staggered as she tried to ignore the sensation of blood and the pain lancing up her flesh. There was shouting all around them as they stumbled down the stairs. The stage was empty now but there were packs of people front of them. "This way." She grabbed his hand. "We can go out and get through the stage door."

They stumbled into the foyer and froze. Lux and Yen were on the floor, Lux cradling her sister close and there was so much blood. "Please." She choked, looking up from her sister. Her hands were bloodied as she tried desperately to stem the blood flow.

"Kai, call an ambulance." Irene said, limping to Yen's side and kneeling with some pain. "Lay her down. Do you know what happened?" Lux shook her head.

“She was taking Mei to the babysitter.” She said, voice cracking as she fought to not sob. Irene looked around and spotted the child, sat in the corner, staring mutely at her mother. To Irene's relief, she seemed fine, even though she was crying, she showed no obvious injuries. She must have been very lucky. Kai grabbed the child, scooping her up and holding her close. "She won't stop bleeding."

Irene swept her eyes over Yen. "She has a head injury, everything else seems minor." She balled the rest of her shawl up and pressed it to the bleeding gash in the back of her head. "Ambulance Kai?" He struggled to pull his phone out. "Hold that." She instructed Lux so that she could tend to the injuries that she could actually do something for. Kai was on the phone now, quietly talking.

Irene pushed hair away from her ear to lean close. She was still breathing. "Kai, her breathing is quite weak." She looked for a pulse. "And her pulse is thready." Kai repeated that information does the phone, adding Yen's information when asked.

"Lux, what's the roads name?" He asked.

"Chalk farm Road." She looked to the doors which were completely destroyed, her eyes were wide and red, not pale anymore and Irene could see scales on her cheekbones and around her eyes. "But I think the bomb was out there, the road may be destroyed."

He gave Irene the phone. "I'm going to see what's going on out there." He said.

"Hello?" Irene put the phone to her ear, trapping it between her shoulder and head so that she could keep her hands free. "She has a head injury. I don't think it's broke the skull but there may be a fracture. It's at the back. The uh... Occipital lobe- I think. No, I don't know. Hang on." She looked up. "Lux, has she been conscious at all?"

"No." She shook her head. Whilst she was managing to hold the shawl in place, she looked nauseated and near to tears and possibly hysteria.

"No she's been unconscious since she was found." Irene said. "She has a couple of cuts to her torso, arms and legs, but they're minor. One to her waist is... Maybe an inch deep and three across, but it isn't bleeding too fast."

Someone staggered into the foyer and Irene looked up.

"Yen." Shui breathed, he looked ready to sweep her up into his arms in a second.

"Stop." Irene said. "Your daughter needs you right now. Let me do this, help should be here soon." Shui grabbed Mei. "An ambulance is on its way." She ignored the sensation of blood on her skin, she was far too used to it anyhow. She could hear the sirens now anyhow.

After that, there was a flurry of activity as emergency services swarmed the place. Irene moved back to let them do their work, staggering slightly, her leg was quite painful now.

"You need help too." Kai said, catching her so that she could lean on him and not fall.

"I'll be fine. Is Lux... Alright?" It was probably the wrong word to use. Kai looked up at her. Lux was sat on the floor, bloodied and filthy, she was staring wide eyed and shocked. "I'll be fine. Check on her." She had to lean on the wall so that she didn't fall but she managed to stay on her feet. Lux didn't respond when Kai knelt on the floor to speak to her, so he slipped his arm around her and hauled her up. He was speaking to her in hushed tones as he pulled her away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two fic updates in one day? Arent I productive for a nice change  
> thank you for reading <3


	6. Chapter 6

Irene sat on the couch with her legs stretched out, the right in bandages, when she heard the door open. She had a laptop balanced on her legs and was watching security footage when Kai and Vale stepped into the living room and she paused it.

"Good to see you Vale." She said, Kai had given him some clothes, but he looked completely uncomfortable in shirt and jeans.

"You too, Strongrock said you'd been injured?" He nodded to her leg. It was smarting, and so was her head from where she had hit it, the headache was yet to fade, and she kept having to re-watch the same clips when she realised that she had no idea what was actually going on.

"Stairs can be a complete nightmare in a ballgown." Irene shrugged. "Lux said that she could heal me when she was better rested. She’s upstairs sleeping. Magic can have its uses."

"I'll be back in a minute; I just want to check that's she's alright." Kai said, before disappearing again.

"What do you think about all of this?" Vale asked, he was looking around the lounge, amassing data and drawing conclusions as his eyes skated over furniture and photos.

"I am not sure. Car bomb outside, same as four other terrorist attacks in the past month, it has been all over the news. It could be the same as that, someone with a grudge could have been opportunistic or all the other attacks could have been to make this one seem the same as the others." Vale nodded slowly. "However, who the attacker has a grudge against, I wouldn't know. The bomb was too far away to kill anyone inside the venue. Lots of people got hurt, but the deaths have all been reported as people who were within a few metres of the car."

"Poor planning perhaps." Vale said. "They couldn't get the vehicle close enough."

"Possible." Irene agreed. "But they would have known that it advance and surely would have altered the yield to cause enough damage to kill their target. Though, I suppose the event could have not been the actual target and we are coming at this from the wrong angle."

"Do you believe that?"

"It was timed a little too well for that." Irene said. "Lux was on the stage, she's a fantastic singer, no one was leaving the venue. Had they wanted to kill everyone in there, it was the perfect timing. I think a mistake was made, or they had to rush their planning."

"The woman who was badly hurt, Li Yen, do you believe that she could have been the target? She was in the foyer at the time I believe."

"Well, I suppose. She's high ranking nobility, that could make her an important target for a political assassination. But from what I've seen, she seems to be well liked. I can't imagine her to be the kind with enemies. But you'd have to ask the twins for a better idea. Or perhaps Shui." Vale arched an eyebrow. "One of Kai's older brothers. And Mei's father. She's about three I think, gave me a stuffed rabbit." She lifted the toy by the ear. "Yen's daughter."

"She gave you a toy rabbit?"

"She thinks that it is a magical rabbit." Irene said, trying to keep a straight face, and failing. "This world does have magic so she may be right, but I think it's just her being a toddler." Vale's smirk was dry as he watched her tuck the rabbit back down between her hip and sofa.

"I've been trying to work out when they placed the explosives." Irene said, tapping the laptop. "There is recorded footage from the door of the theatre."

"That would be so useful to have in my world." Vale remarked. "What have you found?"

"The car was there for a while." She said "It looks like it was abandoned about two and a half weeks ago. A couple of people have gone passed and checked in it. It accrued quite the collection of parking tickets. Two nights ago someone tried to door but left it when they couldn't get in. It's harder to tell on the night of the gala. Too many people coming and going for me to be able to see. Li Ming is trying to access more footage from a different point of... " She could hear raised voices but not in a language she spoke. "View. Do you hear that?" He nodded. "Okay. I hit my head pretty hard yesterday. It’s been a pretty rough morning so far."

"Concussion?"

"Yes. Apparently, I have to wait that out. Magic can't heal..." More shouting. Still in a language she didn't know. "You don't have an idea of what's going on, do you?"

"You don't understand them?"

"I can't even tell you what language they're speaking right now." She said, shaking her head. "Lux sounds pretty angry about something. Though Kai is in a particularly bad mood today." Vale arched an eyebrow. “He wanted me to go home and I refused to leave. We had a bit of a… let us say tiff.”

There were feet on the stairs and the blonde appeared in the doorway, she didn't say anything as she stormed into the kitchen. Kai came down the stairs a second later.

"Sorry about this." He said with a sigh. "She's being stupid." there was a shout of anger from the kitchen. Kai clenched his fists and followed the voice, to hiss his response. Lux threw a towel at him and he snatched it out of the air before it could hit him in the face. Irene had no idea what she spat at Kai, but Lux must have come up with quite a cutting insult based off Kai’s face. He threw up his hands, conceding defeat and Lux visibly relaxed.

"Fine?" She snapped and Kai nodded, looking akin to a kicked pup. "Don't know why you care now. You haven't cared for years." Kai recoiled like she'd slapped him across the face, she ignored him and knelt by the sofa. "May I?" She asked Irene, indicating to her leg. Irene nodded.

"What can the magic in this world do?" Vale asked.

"There are two branches." Kai said. "Health and elemental. Tam know elemental. Lux knows health. Also known as blood magic." Irene pulled back.

"It's not dangerous." Lux said. "Magic has a price. Elemental uses energy. It is a bit more metaphysical than health magic is. Health uses... Well, blood."

"Mine?" Irene asked a little nervously. She wasn’t squeamish, but she wasn’t fond of blood either, least of all her own. Nor was she in the mood for any more pain than she was already in

"Someone can be healed with their own blood, but you cannot heal yourself with your own blood, you have to use someone else’s if you want to heal yourself.” Kai said. “Or you can use your own blood to heal other people.” Irene frowned.

“What?” She blinked. “Sorry. That made no sense to me whatsoever.” Irene's head was pounding and it felt like there was cotton stuffed inside of her head, muddling up what everyone was saying to her, and making it harder for her to get her own thoughts out.

“Sorry, I can’t do anything about the concussion.” Lux said. “I don’t think I could do anything even if I tried, I know I am not strong enough for that, nor am I skilled enough, I don't know anyone who is who does not work in a hospital or for his majesty Ao Shun.” She gathered her hair into a low ponytail to keep it out of her face. “So, health magic requires payment up front, it doesn’t work on the promise of payment like elemental think of it like paying toll whilst elemental is like paying a debt.

And the payment is blood, health for health so to speak. I cannot heal myself using myself as payment, I can however, use someone else to heal myself as then I am not paying the toll. Or someone else can pay for me. There isn’t really a simpler explanation, sorry. I can explain it again when your head feels better if you would like.” Irene nodded.

"I would rather not another injury." Irene said. "It won't hurt you badly, will it?"

"Small cut on my hand will do the trick." She explained. “I heal very quickly anyway. We’ll both be good as new, minus the concussion, by this evening.

"Okay." Irene said before leaning back again, she was mildly curious, but she didn't particularly fancy watching what was about to happen.

Lux cut the stitches on Irene's leg before pulling out a clean knife and pressing it to the tip of her right index finger, eyes half shut, she didn't wince when she sliced into her own flesh. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Focusing carefully, she drew patterns on either side of the cut, they were mirrored. Finally, she drew a line underneath it all and sat back to press a pad of cotton to her finger as she watched as the skin stitched itself back together.

"There we go." She said, standing up again. "It'll be a little sore, but you'll be completely fine by tonight." She stood up and turned to Kai. "I told you so." Kai raised his hands in surrender.

"Fine. Fine. Last time I saw you do that, you passed out. Forgive me for being a little worried." Kai said, throwing himself into an empty seat, not caring about the cushion that he knocked off the couch. Lux picked it up and threw it at his chest.

"I was eighteen back then! Of course I'm going to be stronger and more capable now. I'm an adult."

"I'm finding that hard to believe right about now." Kai said tiredly, shaking his head. "Vale, this is Lux. Lux, Vale." Vale offered her his hand and she shook it. "He's helping with the investigation." She nodded.

"Winters was filling me on with some of the information." Vale said. "Can you tell me; do you believe that your sister could have been the target?" Lux blinked, and then frowned.

"It's... Possible." She said slowly. "Yen got into a lot of arguments in court, people didn't like the way she did things."

"How so?"

"She is patron to a lot of charities. She often petitions for funding for them from his majesty Ao Shun. People don't like that, they think she should be looking at turning over profit from this work rather than giving it all away. She runs a halfway home, a shelter for abuse victims. They think she should charge for lodgings there." Vale nodded. "I have seen a couple of verbal fights. They'd never get physical, no one would dare to raise a hand against her."

"Why not?" Vale asked, pacing the lounge in front of an electric fireplace.

"She's my brothers’ partner." Kai said. “It would bring him and possibly our father in on the fight, which people would probably prefer to avoid doing.”

"Shui and Yen have been romantically involved for quite a long time now, fifteen years, give or take." He said. "Shui has got into a couple of arguments with some courtiers who wished to arrange contracts between him and their daughters, he always refuses."

"Would someone wish to harm Li Yen as a result?"

"No one would be that stupid." Kai said. "Or at least, I'd hope that none of them would be that stupid. They'd be executed for sure if they were caught. I don't think anyone would take that risk."

"Would anyone be that desperate?"

"No." Lux said. "Not when there are other siblings." Irene glanced at Kai.

"She's right. I have a lot of brothers. And cousins as well. If someone wanted an in with the royal family, there are plenty of other ways to do so." Kai said. “Not to mention there are other ways of forming connections that aren’t producing heirs. More politically savvy ways.”

"Has anyone tried to form a contract with you?" Irene asked.

"Once. I refused." He said. "Obviously. I don't want one, we are allowed to refuse if we wish. No one is forcing us into the contracts."

"Some of us are just stupid and agree to bad ones." Lux muttered.

"You aren't stupid." Kai said, shaking his head. Lux scoffed. "Right, coffee and getting to work?"

Work was going through the security footage and Lux doing her best to answer every question that Vale had, they were interrupted an hour later by her mobile phone belting out a pop song.

"Excuse me a minute. That's Tam." She said, pulling it from her pocket and putting it to her ear. "Hello?" She chewed on her lip as he spoke. "No, that's... Tell them that you can't say anything on am active investigation, and that your thoughts are with those affected. Don't say any more than that." She frowned. "What? No. Just... Refuse all the interviews. Don't you have a secretary for this kind of stuff? Why? Oh, okay. Refuse them all then. Blanket statement sent to all press and then silence, I think that'd be best. Let me ask Kai. I'll text you." She hung up.

"They want a statement from Tam." She said. "The press that is. I said not to say anything into the actual events." Kai nodded.

"Just what you said. Active investigation that he can't discuss." She nodded and texted Tam. "I hate the press."

"He does too, why he got into politics I don't know. Apparently, they've been ringing all morning, but his secretary has today off, and he doesn't want to call her in." Lux finished off her coffee.

"I don't see us getting much more finished now." Vale said. "Am I able to see the crime scene?"

"Should be able to." Kai said. "Li Ming dropped off ID for the three of us, that should get us in, Lux?"

"Mine will get me in." She said with a nod. "Let me change." She was still in pyjamas.

"I should change too." Irene said, she'd put on a dress so that she wouldn’t have to worry about the bandage. Standing up, she looked down at her leg. It felt fine to stand on now. "That is so useful. Makes me wish I knew magic."

"Your Language can't do that?" Lux asked.

"It can provided that you can name everything that is damaged." She said. "I was never very good at remembering that kind of thing."

"You're good at first aid."

"True but I couldn't tell you which muscle is which, or nerve names. I can probably name bones."

"You did once threaten to break people's bones as you name them." Vale said.

"I was exaggerating. I think. I've never tried it. I thought you were unconscious when I said that." She said. "I'd have to be able to clearly identify who it was that I was doing that to, or I’d end up hurting everyone who can hear me. Myself included. I don't particularly want to find out if I can to be honest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter was a lot longer than I thought it was...  
> Thank you for reading <3


	7. Chapter 7

The theatre was silent as they made their way inside, Lux let them through the stage door with a key and she turned the alarm off too when it started beeping at them, and they headed round to the front of house. There was dust and rubble everywhere.

"What could you see, each of you?" Vale said.

"I was watching the stage." Irene said. "There wasn't much else going on at the time. Everyone was watching, there were maybe two dozen waiters circulating. Kai and I were on the balcony."

"I saw Yen leaving with Mei." Kai said. "Irene and I were making our way toward the stairs as the explosion went off." The twisted metal that Irene had fallen onto was still on the stairs and she felt her thigh twinge in pain as she looked at it.

"I saw that too." Lux said. "I probably had the best view of the room."

"You were on the stage, yes?" She nodded. "Did nothing stick out to you." Lux bit her lip as she frowned. It was going to start bleeding soon. She turned, and took a running jump up onto the stage, landing nimbly on the balls of her feet before strolling to centre stage and turning back to them, first scanning the balcony above them and then the main part of the theatre, looking into the shadows, and thinking. She shut her eyes, picturing the room as it had been before the explosion. The stage lighting had been hot, dazzling her eyes until she grew accustomed to it, and then she'd been able to see relatively well. The microphone had been warm, stuck to her cheek. The music filling her ears, drowning out the chatter of those watching. She inhaled, dust and blood.

"The fire exit was open." She finally said. "There was a breeze. That should have been shut whilst someone was on stage because of outside sounds."

"That one?" Kai asked, pointing to one in the stalls.

"No. The one at the side of the wings." She said, pointing into the folds of dark curtains. "It would be open when no one was performing. It gets so hot under the lights. And stagehands wear all black." She had come on from the other side of the stage, and could remember thinking that she would make sure that it was shut once she had finished her set, thinking someone had left it open accidentally.

"Was there anything else?" Vale asked, pulling himself up onto the stage with less grace than she had managed.

"Let me think." She said, watching as he headed through the wings. "And let me get the lights." She could traverse the dark with practised ease and flicked the backstage lighting on. It blinked on and off before settling on a dull glow, with the lights buzzing. She made her way back to the stage as he began to investigate the doorway. Kai was carefully pacing the room whilst Irene had taken a seat at the grand piano by the stage. She sat on the edge of the stage.

"Do you get stage fright?" Irene asked as she looked round the room. "I'd forget the words and panic in front of that many people. I am bad enough at public speaking, let alone singing."

"I used to." She said, drumming her heels against the stage. "I am less nervous now. I am accustomed to it. You stop after a while, and it's just another performance. That being said, I was more nervous last night than I used to be."

"Why was that?" Vale called. "Did you feel like something was wrong?"

"I haven't performed in over a year mister Vale. Last night was the first time in a long time."

"Why?" Lux frowned and glanced to Kai and Irene.

"I had a son. I was a bit distracted with the whole pregnancy thing. Dragon gestation is longer than human by about a month."

"Was your son at the performance?"

"He lives with his father." She said, after swallowing. Kai was carefully watching her. "Besides. He's four months old. He'd have slept or cried all the way through."

"You niece was here."

"Mei is three and was being taken out to go home with a babysitter." She said. "Fen is far too young to have been here. First time I've ever been fine with the fact that he doesn't live with me."

"Is that normal?"

"Boys are raised by their fathers." Kai said. "Girls by their mothers."

"Even nobility?"

"Well, we have a tendency of being pawned off on relatives and sent to boarding school." Lux shrugged. "But yes, it's tradition." She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice but wasn't doing too good of a job of it. "Kai was raised by his father, I was raised by my mother. Tam was raised by his father, but came to visit me a lot, and I him, since it's widely considered as cruel to separate twins."

"But not take a baby from their mother?" vale asked. Lux's hand tightened on the edge of the stage, eyes on the floor, no longer swinging her legs, her whole body had gone stiff. Kai opened his mouth, but Irene gave a small shake of her head before climbing onto the stage and disappearing into the curtains.

"You may want to drop the curiosity." She murmured so that she couldn't be heard on stage. "Lux's son was taken hours after he was born when she was promised otherwise. It's a sore subject." Vale glanced at her, before nodding and turning back to his work.

"Why you are here?" He asked, running his fingers down the door jamb. 

"Her brother was hoping that Kai could help her." Irene explained. "So far he hasn't got very far, she doesn’t want to talk about it and the father won’t talk to anyone about it either." She glanced at the door. "Found anything?"

"No." He said with a frown. "If someone opened it for nefarious purposes, they had a key to the door."

"No key necessary." Irene said. "You aren't allowed to lock fire escapes. You can't usually open it from the outside though."

"Why not?"

"Well you can hardly escape if you need to find the key first." Irene said, pushing on the bar and swinging the door open. "See." The sound of the street, sirens and voices, washed over them. She quickly checked outside. "There is a lock on the outside though, so people can’t break in." Vale quickly examined it.

"No scratches. No signs of lock picking. They either had the key, or it was opened internally." He said. "Who has the key to this door?" He stalked back onto the stage, Kai had joined Lux and he was sat next to her, hand on her shoulder. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the cuff of her shirt before looking up, she'd been crying.

"Uh. The building manager." She said before swallowing. "Maybe the stage manager and head of front of house. I can get their numbers to ask." Kai gave her his handkerchief and she dried her face properly. Staring at it, she turned to him. "Why on earth do you have a handkerchief?"

"I usually carry one, they come in handy all the time." He said with a shrug. "No disposable tissues where I live. So very handy."

"How many people do you have around you that regularly cry?"

"Very few. Just someone who tends to work too hard and give herself nosebleeds." He said.

"I don't get them that often." Irene said. Kai got up and offered Lux a hand to her feet. "And they aren't that bad."

"I beg to differ." He said. "Find anything?"

"If someone opened that door with the intention of causing harm, then they did so using the key, or they came from within the building." Vale informed them. "Have you thought of anything else?" Lux performed a neat pivot and strode to centre stage, slowly turning to take everything in. She huffed and stalked off into the wings.

"Hey Luxy, where are you going?" Kai called after her with a frown. He followed her. "Lux? Where..." He threw his hands up into the air. She ignored him, disappearing into the back corridors. "Lux! What are you doing?" vale and Irene followed too. The backstage passageways were utilitarian, simple and functional. Lux's boots were surprisingly quiet on the floor, she held herself, and walked, like a classically trained dancer. And perhaps she was, Irene had no idea what skills young dragons were taught, though fighting seemed to be commonly learnt skill, they all seemed to be good at it. Lux was clearly armed; Irene had seen the butt of the gun at her hip and she had a knife in her boot.

"Lux!" she shushed him. "What are you doing?"

"Be quiet." She waved her hand. She seemed to be aimlessly picking turnings. Vale frowned and stopped, looking up at the ceiling. He opened his mouth but before he could speak, she turned and pointed at him. "Shush." She hissed. Then… The sound of heavy feet. Lux ran, following the sound, and the others pursued. They were heading back round to the stage. Kai easily caught up with Lux, his legs were longer than hers. "Keep going." She said to him as they reached the wings again, this time on the other side of the stage, and she began to climb up into the lighting rigs.

Kai continued across the stage, pausing to listen to the sound of feet, trying to predict where the runner would go next. There was a loud bang of something against metal, a thud. Someone dropped down and a second later, Lux dropped too, tackling him to the ground. A gun spun away, and Irene kicked it out of the way of all of them, just in case, it skidded underneath the heavy stage curtains. Pinning him beneath her, Lux pressed her own gun in between his shoulder blades.

"Stop before I see how long you live with a hole in you." She growled, and he went still. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" She got up and off him but kept the gun aimed squarely at him.

"Get up." Vale said. The man slowly looked up, grinned, and starting frothing at the mouth. "Back!" He shouted and they all obeyed.

"Does he have rabies?" Lux asked watching the man convulse with barely hidden disgust.

"Cyanide." Irene said. "It smells like almonds."

"Oh. Is that common knowledge?" Lux asked faintly, looking at her.

"Relatively." Vale said, the man lay still now, not breathing. "He chose suicide over questioning."

"What could make a man chose death?"

"Something worse." Irene said. "Fear is a powerful motivator." Lux took a step forward, but Vale grabbed her shoulder.

"Don't touch it." He said. "It'll poison you too."

"I don't particularly want to die today." She muttered and made her way across the stage. She didn't kneel down to touch him, instead she carefully looked him up and down. "Covered in dust. Probably up in the lighting rig. I'm going up to see if I can find where he was hiding."

"Lux." She holstered her gun.

"I'll be fine. He was the only one up there." She said and started to climb. Kai exhaled loudly and threw his hands up.

"She's worse than you." He said to Irene.

"I wouldn't climb up there." Irene said. "I hate heights." Lux laughed.

"You're dating a dragon and you don't like heights?"

"I get really bad vertigo." She called up. "It makes me dizzy. I try not to look down too much." Vale went to his knees by the body and carefully turned it over to pat down the pockets.

"He concealed the pill in his mouth I believe." Vale said. "Possibly a false tooth. I won't know until the foam is gone. He has one of those card things you used for the trains miss Li."

"Oh gods don't call me that." She said. "It sounds wrong. Just Lux. No one in our generation really uses their full name unless in a formal event."

"Okay." He said but he didn't sound convinced. "Is it possible to track where he's been with this?"

"Possible if you know his password." Kai said, taking it from Vale and opening the small card holder. "Train tickets... And... Just the oyster card. Pretty standard." there were a couple of pens, Irene rifled through his wallet as Vale turned out pocket lint and started on the other side.

"Money. Another train ticket. Couple of bank cards and loyalty card. No ID card." She paused.

"Name on the bank card?" Kai asked.

"E L Ians." Irene said. "Does that mean anything to you Lux?" there was a thud.

"Uh... No? Hang on. Let me think a secon- ow." There was another thud.

"Lux?"

"Fell over a rope. Honestly, if I worked here, I'd give them such a piece of my- for fucksake... Piece of my mind."

"Do you need a hand up there?"

"Yes please. I think I've found where he was hiding but I don't have a good light source can't see shit up here."

"Is it too late to tell you to watch your language?" He muttered as he started climbing too. "It's awful."

"Probably." She said. "I don't swear around Mei. Yen scares me."

"Yen scares everyone." Kai said. "Imagine that Yen is here then and stop swearing. Vale doesn't like it."

"What? Is he my mother?" She said. Kai tripped and very nearly swore too. Vale exhaled, biting back his own frustrations.

"Would you two mind not ruining the evidence?"

"Mister Vale?"

"Yes?"

"Bite me." He looked up, and then at Irene, who was trying to not laugh at the whole thing and instead chose to intently stare at the corpse.

"Lux, behave." Kai hissed. "For the love of God, please behave." Irene snickered.

"Oh you can bite me too." She snapped back. "Look!"

"I can't it's dark up here." Kai muttered. Irene shut them out as she knelt by the curtain to retrieve the gun.

"What do you know about weapons?" Vale asked. She flicked the safety back on and removed the magazine to check how full it was.

"Too much for comfort." She said, snapping the magazine back into place. "Nine-millimetre bullets, twelve shots. Gun has had the serial number removed. Impossible to track now." She sighed. "He could have killed all of us if given the opportunity. Guns here are a lot stronger than in your world." She turned it over in her hand. “I think it is a Beretta. Pretty good gun maker. I am not sure what the gun laws are like here, modern England usually has strict laws, but I could be wrong.”

"He had these as well." Vale said, holding up three syringes. "I hypothesise that the gun was to threaten us, and that these are actually sedatives intended to take hostages."

"There's four of us."

"How many people know that I'm here to help you?" He said. "They were probably expecting you three. I'd have likely been shot. I'll have to test these, unless you can work out what it is."

"Probably GHB." Irene said, looking at one of the syringes. "It's a sedative and pretty easily available in most worlds legally. Takes a little while to work but does the trick and will keep someone unconscious for five, maybe six hours."

"I worry about some of the information you know sometimes." Vale said, looking up at her, from her knowledge of poisons, to guns to god knows what, the kind of information gained from either years of study or first hand experienced, and he highly doubted that it was the former.

"I have a lot of experience with a lot of bad things." Irene admitted. "GHB gives you a nasty headache when you come round. But I only know that because it's used as a sedative for surgery. Not because someone drugged me. This time."

"What for?" Vale asked curiously.

"Appendicitis." She replied. "Had to have my appendix removed. Luckily it doesn't actually do anything, so I am fine without one. And it can't kill me now."

"Appendicitis can be deadly?"

"It can be." She said. "They can rupture which can cause internal bleeding." Kai jumped down the last of the ladders.

"Found anything?"

"Drugs." Irene said. "You?"

"Possibly. Lux said that there should be a torch somewhere, it's hard to see up there. And we should probably call the police about the corpse, preferably before we get arrested for tampering with the evidence." He said as he looked around the wings until he spotted the torch underneath the stage managers desk. "Let's try this again." He said, sliding the torch into his pocket and climbing again.

Irene's phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out and flipped it open, she'd picked out a cheap phone whilst Kai was using a more expensive touchscreen.

"Hello?" She said, putting it to her ear. "Uh, no I think she is unavailable right now. She's in the lighting rig... Someone was hiding up there. I'll tell her to call you when she's not up there. Alright. Bye." She put it away again. "Lux, Tam says answer your phone."

"He does?" there was a thud. "Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, he just asked for you to call when you could." She called up.

"Well, he’ll have to wait." She said.

"What's up there?" Vale asked.

"Looks like he was hiding and waiting up here." Kai called down. "I am not entirely sure for how long, there's a couple of water bottles and some food up here. Wouldn't anyone be coming up here during the performance?"

"No once things are set up it’s all done with computers.” Lux said. “I have no idea how long it has been since anyone was up here. A while, given the dust.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, please comment, it gives me life ^^


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a few weeks since I updated this because I forgot all about it in favour of writing one shots and my own characters

Lux was laying on the edge of the stage, Vale paced just behind her, and Kai and Irene were both on top of the grand piano. Irene’s head was on Kai’s thigh and he idly ran his fingers through her hair whilst she waited for painkillers to kick in.

“I think the problem here is that there are too many variables.” Vale said. “I do not know the world well enough to rule any out, nor do I know any of the guests to rule them out as either suspects or the intended victim. Strongrock, miss Lux?” Lux groaned.

“Just Lux.” She said before sitting up. “And I don’t know what there is to tell you, I didn’t know more than a handful of the guests. They were all rich philanthropists, or people pretending to be philanthropists in order to look good in the press and on social media. Big difference between them. It was a pretty standard guest list; the same people here last night also attended a gala to raise money to repair the national opera house a month ago and will inevitably attend some event next month too.”

“And I haven’t been here for years.” Kai said. “There has been political unrest in the past few years apparently. More terrorist attacks, protests and that sort of thing. But attacking a charity event wouldn’t make sense, unless they disagreed with the charity. But it has no political connections.”

“Yes it does.” Vale said. “Your brother is a politician. It is politically backed, not to mention a large number of Dragon nobility was in attendance. It may not publicly take a political side, but it has the backing. Your uncle could have been the intended target Strongrock. Or your brother.”

“My uncle has security. And Shui should do too, though I am not sure if they are currently with him, he’s probably at the hospital.”

“Does Li Yen have security?” Vale asked.

“Yes. She always has at least one person watching her and my uncle said that there was security at the hospital.”

“And your brother?” She shook her head.

“He’s never needed it. His office has its own security, obviously, and I always lived nearby so I could go if it was needed.” She explained. “Tam probably could have asked for it, but I don’t think he saw a need. He is rarely alone so there isn’t one, he’s with me, who could protect him, Yen who has security, or someone else in our family.”

“Who have security?”

“Others like me who don’t need it because we deal enough damage of our own.” She said. “Tam and Yen never had an interest in fighting like I did, so they never learnt past basic self-defence. My uncle and mother can protect themselves, though uncle is often surrounded by security, so he doesn’t need to.”

“It is possible that a Dragon was the target.” Vale said. “They seem to be the more obvious target and the event did provide the attacker a good opportunity.”

“It wouldn’t have killed them though.” Kai said, shaking his head. “Had you or Irene been in the foyer at the time of the blast, possibly. But Dragons are a lot harder to kill than a human is. You’d need to double the yield and blow it up within the building. My Uncle didn’t even have a scratch on him.”

“Mistakes are often made.” Vale replied. “But let us start with everyone who had access to the building. Our friend over there had to get in somehow, and the alarm was not ringing when we got here.”

The door at the other end of the room swung open and they all jumped. “Uncle.” Lux got to her feet. “Is something the matter?”

“Tam was trying to get in touch with you earlier.” Li Ming said as he strode across the room, as impeccably dressed as always. “Yen isn’t doing too well right now. We think it best that you come to the hospital to see her.” Lux swallowed. “And why is there a dead body on the stage?”

“He killed himself.” Kai replied. “How is she doing?”

“She had a seizure about an hour ago.” Li Ming said. “She hasn’t shown any sign of regaining consciousness so far. They aren’t sure if she will.” Lux had paled and she had pressed a hand over her mouth. “She is in a coma right now.”

“Lux, we’ll be fine without you.” Kai touched her shoulder. “You should go and see your sister.” She swallowed and nodded. “We’ll let you know if we find anything.” She and Li Ming nodded.

“Thank you for your assistance. Call if you need anything and I will do what I can to assist.” Li Ming said. 

“How are Shui and Mei doing?” Kai asked. Irene decided that this was the most harried she had seen Li Ming, the closest that he had come to displaying nervousness, and he sighed.

“Your brother seems to be doing fine. Mei hasn’t spoken a word since the explosion apparently. She is physically fine asides from a couple of bruises and minor abrasions. But she won’t speak. Shui is also worried that he doesn’t know where her rabbit is.”

“She gave it to me this morning.” Irene said. “She and Shui came to talk to Tam and Lux this morning and she came over and gave it to me and wouldn’t take it back when I tried to return it.” That eked a smile out of the silver and gold Dragons.

“I will let him know; thank you miss Winters.” He said with a nod of his head. Kai called the police to let them know about the body once Li Ming and Lux was gone. He probably should have called them before Lux had left as she was a witness, but he gave them her number so that they could get in touch, and then, to Vale’s annoyance, they were ordered to leave the crime scene.

“How do you feel?” Kai asked Irene, noticing her touch the back of her head, where she had hit it.

“Not in pain anymore.” She said. “Still nauseated and still… I am not sure what the right word would be.”

“Confused?” Kai offered up.

“Not confused as such. Though things are taking longer for me to process and if anyone asked me to use the Language right now, I would get something wrong.” She put her hand to her forehead. “I’ll be fine though. Don’t worry.”

“I am a little worried that someone else I know with a head injury is currently comatose.” Kai said. “I just worry. And you do have a habit of pretending to be okay when you are not.” Irene would have rolled her eyes if she didn’t know that it would have made her head hurt, instead she huffed.

“I am fine.” She said firmly. “I will be as good as new in a day or two.”

“Concussions get worse the more you have.” Vale remarked, watching the cars with a frown, clearly deep in thought about something. “How many have you had?”

“I do not count. Maybe half a dozen?” She said. “This is no worse than others that I have had, you both worry far too much.”

“And you are far too careless with your own safety.”

“You nearly walked into a busy road just two hours ago.” Irene protested. “If anyone is careless, it is you. I honestly thought that Lux as actually going to make you hold her hand.”

“I did too. Vale, a car is very heavy. At high speeds you’ll go over it if hit, if slow, you’ll go under it. Very messy, very painful and can kill you. Please don’t force us to have to come up with some reason you don’t come back with us. I will make it highly embarrassing if you win yourself a Darwin award.”

“What is a Darwin award?” Vale asked, ignoring the rest of what Kai had said.

“It is when you take yourself out of the gene pool by getting yourself killed in a stupid manner.” He explained. “So that you can’t pass on your genes and make the next generation stupid.”

“Well, I do not intend on having children.” Vale said. “So the next generation would be safe anyway, with or without me getting hit by a motor vehicle.”

“Call it a car Vale, or you’ll stick out.” Irene said. “Popular turns of phrase and slang make it much easier to fit into a society once you pick them up.” She glanced to make sure that the road was clear so that they could cross without Kai’s aforementioned fate of going over or under a car. “It is easier to blend in if you can mimic speech and behaviour patterns.”

“I suppose you would know all about that.”

“Well, it is my job.” Irene said dryly. “We should find somewhere where we can go over what we have and decide where to go next.”

“A good idea.” Kai said, slipping his hand into hers and squeezing it. Irene glanced down for a second, and then up to smile. She wasn’t used to that kind of visible affection; it wasn’t normal in Vale’s world where they had to appear to be prim and proper all of the time. Kai was taking advantage of the change in societal norms as much as he could, revelling in the smiles that she shot him when he held her hand, or when he slid an arm around her shoulders. She was in a short sleeved top and he liked the feeling of her soft skin against him.

They found a café where they could get coffee and sit down. Irene may have insisted that she was fine, but she was clearly tired since one was not meant to sleep for more than a few hours at a time with a concussion, and her phone alarm was set to go off every two hours. Kai had slept for maybe two hours and seemed to be doing better than she was. She was quite annoyed by that fact. She was blaming the concussion for the pettiness.

“I need to find out more about the bomb.” Vale said. “What was used and what set it off.”

“I am not sure if the police will be willing to give up that information, but if we have the rest of the cctv we may be able to work it out for ourselves.” Kai said. “Following up with the theatre employees is another valid route of investigation, and the man in the theatre too.”

“I still have his bank card.” Irene said. “Though I don’t think that will get us very far. Most banks don’t give out that information.”

“Someone that works for my uncle may be able to turn out a name for us.” Kai said, pulling his phone out. “Let me send a picture of it to Li Ming, he’ll have a better idea than I do.” She pulled the card out and he snapped a photo. Vale frowned, itching to ask how it worked but he ignored the urge.

“Two routes of investigation.” Vale said. “It may be best if Winters returns to the house and follows up on the theatre employees whilst we follow up with the explosion.” Irene should have been expecting that, the protectiveness was a little ridiculous.

“I am fine.” She said.

“That may be so.” Vale said. “But I cannot exactly do it, and Strongrock is likely more able to be able to get the police to cooperate with our investigation.”

“It doesn’t make sense for me to go all of the way back, and then come into central London again if something happens.” She protested.

“It takes half an hour.” Vale retorted. He had a point; the public transport was very fast here. She slouched in her seat and reached for her cup of tea. “Besides, it is nearer to the hospital.”

“I just said I am fine!” That small exclamation made her head twinge.

“Not for you Winters.” He said. “It is possible that the bomber was caught in the blast, and where will they be if they are?”

“Oh.” She blushed.

“Exactly.” Vale said, steepling his fingers. “It may be best to have someone nearby in case we find anything. Not to mention that, once you have spoken to those working at the theatre, talking to other victims may be useful. If you are up for it.” She sipped her tea.

“I can do that.” She said.

“You do have better social skills, as you have pointed out.” Kai said. “I don’t think we will be long once we have picked up what we need from the police station, if we can. We’ll join you once we have the information, I want to go to the hospital later anyway.” She nodded.

“Alright, I’ll go.” She said finally. “You should get some sleep when you get back Kai.”

“Do I look that tired?”

“Did you sleep last night?” Vale asked. He shook his head.

“I was worried about Irene, so I didn’t sleep, and then I had to leave.” He said with a shrug. “I suppose that a couple of hours of sleep won’t hurt, but let’s see what the police can give us first.”

“Hypocrite.”

“Agreed.” He said, finishing the rest of his coffee in a single mouthful. “Ready to go?”


	9. Chapter 9

Kai was asleep on the couch, an arm draped over his eyes to block out the light from the ceiling as Irene and Vale sat on the couch opposite, skipping through cctv footage. The police had been entirely unwilling to help Kai and Vale, and Kai had spent an hour making calls to try and get them the information, but he hadn’t been lucky, and they had gained nothing from the endeavour.

Irene herself had managed to talk to the stage manager, who was not happy to talk to her and had hung up pretty quickly, and the front of house manager who was much more agreeable but not helpful at all as she hadn’t known anything, she had barely been involved with the gala at all as there were no tickets being sold to the masses, and there were no ushers employed for the night, there was no theatrical performance after all.

Kai’s phone rang, startling Irene and Vale from their film. Kai peered around the room for a second to work out the cause of him being roused before groaning and reaching for the phone.

“Hello?” Irene wasn’t going to admit quite how much she liked the rough, husky quality of his voice when thick with sleep. “What? Tam slow… Really? They kept that one quiet.” He paused to rub his forehead and sink back into the cushions, humming in response to something rather than talking. “No. No. I’m still here. Signal isn’t great on your end.” Kai exhaled, pinching the bride of his nose. “Do you need me to come there? Okay. I’ll be… I don’t know, forty minutes?” He chuckled. “Yes, I was asleep. Make that an hour, fell asleep dressed and I could do with a shower.” He hung up.

“Is something wrong?” Irene asked.

“Yes and no.” He sat up and undid his hair to run his fingers through it, grimacing slightly, he hadn’t showered the night before and was really regretting it now. He’d quickly wash off the ash and blood in the sink and that had been it. “Yen has had two more seizures, but they weren’t as bad this time. They think that the injury has caused swelling on the brain, which is the cause.” Irene and Vale both nodded. “If it keeps up, they may have to remove part of her skull to try and reduce the damage, though right now they do not think she’d survive the surgery. They are waiting until the end of the week to make a decision.”

“How is that both yes and no?” Vale asked. “That sounds like a lot is wrong.” Kai nodded.

“It is, but they know what the problem is and how to fix it.” He said. “No that’s not what the potentially good thing is. I say potentially because everything could go very wrong very quickly. She’s pregnant. Apparently, they found out about a week ago, which is why no one knew but Shui.”

“Is the baby going to be okay?” Irene asked. Kai nodded.

“The baby seems to be doing well, nothing wrong on the ultrasound and their heartbeat is steady. It means that they will not operate though. Not if it risks the foetus.” He exhaled slowly, clearly fighting the urge to react in a stronger manner. “If they can’t do anything that won’t risk it, they’ll keep Yen in a medically induced coma until she’s at full term, and then they’ll try to save her life. If they can save her at that point. I forgot how awful this world was.” Kai muttered. “One of those things where I look at it with rose-tinted glasses because I lived here for a while.”

“There are a lot of Dragons here.” Vale remarked. “There must be something that they like.”

“It used to be a lot more stable than it is right now.” Kai said. “Fae skirmishes in the past few years have slowly been chipping away at that stability. It is safe for now, but if it keeps up, the Dragon’s will be gone soon enough.”

“There are Fae in this world?” Vale suddenly asked, all business again. “Why didn’t you say that earlier? They could have been behind this!”

“Because there aren’t Fae in this world right now.” Kai said. “It’s the surrounding worlds that at more at risk. It’s… hard to explain. Imagine a set of scales. The more you add to one side, the more it tips. That tipping could end up dragging other worlds down too, without the Fae actively doing anything to that world.” Vale nodded. “The balance is maintained best by both sides doing nothing. Only they don’t like doing that because both sides think that their way is better. I have no fondness for Fae, but I will admit that they are necessary to the balance of all worlds. Yin and Yang so to speak.”

“And the Library works by forcing that balance.” Irene said. “It is why we cannot have chaos in the Library, it works a lot faster than order does and will offset things more than we can stabilise them.”

“Exactly.” Kai said. “Right. I need a shower, and then I said I would head up to the hospital.” He got up. “And I need to stop sleeping on couches, it feels awful.”

Whilst Kai was showering, Irene and Vale returned to the footage, it was running at twice the speed it normally would have done so that they could get through it all much quicker.

“Stop it.” Vale said and Irene hit the laptop’s keyboard and froze the footage. A man stood outside the car and he was looking directly at the camera. Irene took a screenshot and sent it to Kai since her phone couldn’t do that, she was regretting the choice in phone now.

Slowing down the speed of the video back to normal, Irene pressed play again. The man paced up and down, stopping every now and then to look at the camera, and then at his watch. “He’s waiting for something.” She said. “I wonder if the nights running schedule was made public, or at least sent out to attendees.” Vale nodded.

“It would explain the timing if he knew exactly when something was going to happen.” He remarked.

“They were behind schedule.” Irene said, suddenly remembering what Yen had said before taking Mei. “About fifteen minutes. Hang on. I am sure I saw a running order somewhere.” Somewhere was stuck underneath a magnet to the fridge. “Lux should have been finishing her set when the explosion went off.” She said, coming back into the lounge. “Unless they were also late and meant to detonate it during Yen’s speech.”

“Did you find anything?” Kai asked, jogging down the stairs. Irene nearly laughed; his outfit was almost identical to the one that he had been wearing when they had met. White t-shirt, damp from where it had touched still moist skin, the leather jacket was less battered than the other one, and the jeans had clearly been deliberately ripped rather than just old and worn.

“Someone waiting outside of the car.” Vale said. “He was there for quite some time. How long did Li Yen speak for?”

“Maybe five, ten minutes.” Kai said. Vale checked the time of the footage.

“If they were running fifteen minutes late, it was probably around twenty past nine when she took the stage.” Irene said, leaning over Vale’s shoulder she glanced at the time stamp. “She’d be talking right now.” They kept watching and two minutes before the time of the blast, the man pulled out a gun.

“Strange way to trigger an explosion.” Kai said. “Can’t tell what kind of gun that is though. Irene?”

“Probably another berretta.” She said, watching as he shot the car, and it went up. The man was thrown off his feet and into the wall and he didn’t move. “He’d be in the morgue after that.” She said. “The police probably already know who did it. Why haven’t they announced anything though?”

“An excellent question Winters.” Vale mused as he laced his fingers together. “Would they normally have announced the name to the news by now?” He asked Kai. Kai frowned.

“Yes.” He said after a moment. “Even if they didn’t have an id for him, his face should be plastered all over the papers and news channels by now. Unless there is something else going on that we don’t know about. The police were adamant that no one find out what is happening when we tried to get more information.” Irene was staring at the screen. “Is something wrong Irene?”

“Trying to work out what the accelerant is.” She said quietly. “It isn’t petrol. The smoke isn’t dark enough for that.” There was something gnawing at her that she couldn’t put her finger on it, it was on the tip of her tongue.

“Gas.” Vale said. “That is probably a methane explosion. The police would know, but they aren’t telling us. What’s so important about that? Is there some significance?”

“Well, the car would have to be emptied of petrol.” Kai said. “A bit strange. And then someone would have had to fill it with gas canisters. A lot of effort when a petrol explosion would have achieved the same results.”

“It wouldn’t have been as big of an explosion.” Irene said in sudden realisation, thoughts clicking into place. “No, it isn’t that. I think I know who is behind this. And I think that it is all my fault.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading  
> kudos and comments give me life ^^


	10. Chapter 10

“What?” Kai demanded in confusion. “How on earth would it be your fault? You weren’t here.”

“Gas explosion. Ignited by a gun shot.” She said. “There are easier and better ways to do it. But they chose that specifically. That is different to all of the other terrorist attacks. Why change their modus operendi for no reason? Because it isn’t them.” She said.

“How is it your fault then?” Kai asked. “I don’t understand.”

“O’Hara.” Vale said. “Gas explosion, ignited by gun shot.” Irene nodded. “It would make sense, he hates the treaty, and he certainly hates you now, and us. Not to mention anyone who signed the treaty. There was the potential to take everyone out in the explosion.” Kai sighed.

“I need to leave. Are you two coming with me?” Irene opened her mouth. “Don’t even think about blaming yourself.” He said before she could say anything. “You cannot decide someone else’s actions.”

“Yes, I’ll come.” She said quietly. “I want to give Mei back her rabbit.” It was sat at the end of the couch that Kai had been sleeping on, she had sat it up before leaving that morning.

“I’ll come to.” Vale said. “I have a couple of questions to ask.”

~~

Irene hated the smell of hospitals, all antiseptic and bleach and lilies, masking the underlying odour of illness and death but not quite managing to get rid of it, or maybe she had just come to associate those scents with death, and she was imagining it all.

She held the rabbit clutched in one hand as she and Kai made their way through the corridors, Vale had gone to talk to a few of the other victims, promising them that he was more than capable of finding them later on. They doubted that very much, but they let him go off nonetheless, Irene giving him her phone and a quick lesson in how to use it beforehand.

Yen was in a private room on the second floor. She lay perfectly still, attached to numerous monitors that bleeped and beeped at intervals, never truly allowing silence to fall upon the inhabitants who sat around not talking.

Shui sat by the bed, holding Yen’s hand, watching her face as if she was about to blink her eyes open, and sleepily smile at him. Lux and Tam were on the couch, Lux had tucked her legs up underneath her and was leaning on the arm, curled up like a cat. Tam was reading, though he would look up every now and then. Li Ming was reading too, on an uncomfortable looking chair.

Mei sat on a blanket by the sofa, she had another stuffed toy, this one was a dog. She had a bruise on her cheek and one of her hands had a pink princess plaster on it. The bruise also had a plaster on it for some reason, but she’d been playing with it and it was half peeled off.

“How is she?” Kai asked Shui in a low voice.

“Peaceful right now. They’ve given her something that hopefully will prevent the seizures, and something for the pain. They don’t know if she can actually feel the pain, but just in case she can.” Kai nodded.

“How do you feel? Have you slept or ate since yesterday?”

“A little sleep earlier.” He said. “And I grabbed some lunch for me and Mei earlier.” His daughter looked up upon hearing her name, but quickly returned her attention to the dog.

“Hello Mei.” Irene said quietly, kneeling down by her, there wasn’t exactly anywhere else to sit. “I brought your rabbit back for you. Thank you for letting me borrow her.” The girl smiled, and took the toy back, bringing it to her chest for a tight hug. Then she got up and tottered over to her father.

“Up.” She said, holding her arms up. Shui arched an eyebrow. “Pease.” He smiled sadly, before scooping her up to sit on his legs. Mei leant forward and as carefully as the child could manage, lay the toy on Yen, avoiding the wires and tubes as she did so. “Better.”

“Hopefully.” Shui said. “Thank you for bringing it back Irene.” Mei was content to sit on his lap and she lay her head on his chest and he kissed the top of her head. “I was worried that it was somewhere in the theatre.”

“How is the investigation going?” Li Ming asked. Kai glanced at Irene.

“The police are covering something up.” Kai said after a beat. “Whoever did this was very likely killed in the attack.” He glanced at Mei, but she didn’t seem to be paying attention. “Yet the police are still saying that they are looking for someone. And earlier Vale and I tried to get some more information from them, I called in every favour that I could and still got nothing out of them.”

“It is conspiracy theory time.” Tam said, sliding a bookmark into his book and allowing Irene the opportunity to take a glance at the cover and grow disinterested when she realised that it was a medical book on neurology.

“No it isn’t.” Kai said. “There is a possibility that it is Jupiter O’Hara behind this.”

“What evidence is there?” Li Ming asked.

“We believe that the explosion was a gas explosion and it was ignited with a gunshot.” Kai said. “The same manner in which his house was destroyed shortly after we encountered him.”

“By you?” Li Ming asked.

“By me.” Irene admitted. “I… he hurt one of my friends and then taunted me over it. I lost my temper and blew up his kitchen in a fit of petty anger. I am sorry.”

“What is there for you to be sorry for?” Shui asked in confusion. “You didn’t do anything wrong; I would have done something similar if he had hurt someone I cared about.”

“This does mean that you could have been the intended target.” Lux said. “He could be coming after you. You found drugs on the man in the theatre, enough to take three hostages.”

“But why you?” Kai asked. “You weren’t involved in the treaty.”

“Mister Vale was…” She said, before pausing. “No one was meant to die. It was meant to draw you out.” She got up and grabbed her bag. “Where is he?”

“Talking to other victims.” Kai said. He looked like he was about to swear, and Irene was biting back her own curses as well. “This was to draw us out and get us out in the open.”

“We aren’t exactly hidden in that world.” Irene said. “And we are surrounded by Dragons right now. It isn’t a safe plan on his part.”

“Very dramatic though, and he completely messed up my chances last night.” Tam said. “And doesn’t Vale have police connections there? It’d be easier to get the police to refuse to cooperate with him when they don’t know who he is.” There’d been times when the police in his world had in fact refused to work with Vale, though that usually involved Vale annoying them first, or a corrupt officer or two.

“I am going to go and find him.” Lux said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“I need to call his majesty’s security and alert them to this.” Li Ming said, pulling phone out. “Stay safe.”

“I shouldn’t be long.” She said. “And I will be fine.” She tapped the bag she’d slung over her shoulder. “When am I not armed?”

“It will be highly ironic if you hospitalise someone who came to a hospital fine.” Shui said. “But do be careful.” Lux just rolled her eyes and left.

Her boots were loud on the plastic floors as she headed downstairs, forgoing the lift in favour of the stairs. She knew where the other victims were, so it didn’t take her long to find Vale.

“Is something the matter?” He asked, excusing himself from the patient he was speaking with when he noticed her at the door.

“We think that you, Kai and Irene are the intended targets.” She said quietly. “This was to draw you out and to reduce your security.” He glanced around the room.

“Are you sure?”

“No. Not really, but it makes sense.” She said. “Same explosion as Irene caused at O’Hara’s house. Three syringes and someone lying in wait in the one place it would be guaranteed you would be at. The gun wasn’t to get rid of you, it was to get rid of me.” He frowned. “In this world Kai may have connections. But you do not and there aren’t a lot of Librarian’s around to help Irene out either.” Vale nodded. “Come on, I said I was bringing you upstairs.”

Someone was talking to the nurse at her station when they came out onto the corridor again. They walked past him, Lux listening to the conversation. “Hold this for me a minute?” She said to Vale, pitched low enough that he should just about be able to hear her. He held his hand out without paying attention and she slid her hand into his, holding it tightly.

“What are you doing?” He asked, she was holding too tightly for him to slip his hand out of her grasp. She smiled at him.

“Holding your hand.” She said sweetly, flicking her eyes to the man who had been talking to the nurse, but was now watching them. “Shall we get a coffee before going home babe?” She asked. Vale blinked.

“Sure, why not.” He said with a sigh. “Do you remember where the café is?”

“I think it is on the ground floor.” She said, still smiling though Vale noted that it was strained and that her eyes were jumping from one place to the next. “Come on, let’s take the stairs, I do not trust the lifts here.”

She pushed the door to the stairwell open and when they were halfway down the steps, they heard the door open. Vale would admit that Strongrock’s senses were much keener than his own, and therefore Lux’s would be too, so when she pulled on his arm and shouted duck, he did so and when the bullet slapped into the wall just above where her head had been, he hadn’t been very surprised.

She was still holding his hand, pulling him down the stairs only to push him ahead of her and release him when they got to the bottom of the stairs. This time, Vale grabbed her.

“They will kill you; they want to take me hostage.” He snapped, tugging her behind him.

“I was going to shoot him.”

“No shootouts in a hospital.” He snapped. At the bottom of the stairs was a fire escape to the outside, or the corridor toward A&E. He chose the fire escape and as they shoved the doors open, the alarm started screaming.

“Can I shoot him out here?” She asked, glancing back over his shoulder, gun free from her holster now.

“Yes.” Vale replied, releasing her. Lux staggered now that she wasn’t being tugged along, but she only took a second to steady herself before she cocked the gun and turned. Her free arm steadied the gun and she only took half a second to pick her target and squeeze the trigger.

The man went down with a scream of pain and a bullet in his left thigh. Lux paused and when he reached for the gun he had dropped when he fell, she aimed and pulled the trigger again, this time shooting him in the hand.

“Gag him with something.” She said as Vale rushed to his side to move the gun. “Before he can take cyanide himself.” Vale used his handkerchief to make sure that the man couldn’t bite down. He was groaning in pain, clutching his arm and not bothering to fight back.

“I think it is best that you call your uncle.” Vale said, sitting back and wiping blood off his hands on his jeans. Lux grabbed her phone and nodded. People were pouring out of the hospital now thanks to the alarm. They needed to lock this down.


	11. Chapter 11

“How long have you been playing the piano for?” Lux jumped; she hadn’t heard him come down. It was a little after six and she hadn’t expected anyone to be awake for another hour or so as they had all been up late following up on leads and discussing their next move when they realised that they couldn’t get anywhere without getting arrested for breaking into crime scenes. She was sat at her piano, not playing but instead staring at the keys.

“Since I was two.” She said. “I think this is the longest it has been since I have played.” She ran her fingers over the keys but didn’t press them down.

“Why did you stop?” He sat on the end of the couch, still covered in the blankets she had slept under, watching her through the doorway into the music room. “Strongrock said that you studied it and were a prodigy growing up.”

“I was playing when I went into labour.” She said quietly. “I wanted to learn to play lullabies for him.” She sighed. “I still have the sheet music on the stand. It has been four months. I just couldn’t touch it.” Vale nodded. “Yen had to beg me to help with the gala. And even then, I didn’t play. I leant out my violin and sorted out the arrangements, but I wasn’t playing myself.”

“Winters said you sang?”

“More begging involved there.” She said with a small smile. “Yen can be very convincing, and I don’t like disappointing my sister. I couldn’t really explain why I stopped playing to her though. She wouldn’t understand. Tam didn’t. He just told me to play something different.”

“And you couldn’t?”

“Sat down to play and I just froze up.” She shrugged. “Couldn’t touch my violin without wanting to cry.” She wrapped her arms around herself. She had a thin silk dressing gown over the top of shorts and a thin top. She wore fluffy socks

“You play the violin?” He asked, getting up. She nodded. “May I see your violin?” She frowned, and then nodded, getting up and opening a cupboard to find it out.

“I have three.” She said. “But this is my nicest one. It is a Stradivarius.” Vale’s eyes widened as he took it off her and opened the case. “Do you play?”

“When I remember that I can.” He said. “This is a beautiful violin. Do you mind if I play?”

“Of course not. It is a bit early, but as far as methods of waking up, classical music probably isn’t too awful.” She said with a smile. “There’s plenty of music if you want to try and find something that you know or at least think is similar. Music isn’t the same in each world. It is quite interesting, I have considered looking into it before, when I was younger and not sure what to do with me free time.”

“Do you have any Pachelbel?” Vale asked, eyes gliding over the shelves of sheet music, neatly organised and well dusted. Lux’s eyes visibly brightened.

“Cannon in D?” She asked and he nodded. “I do love that piece I will admit, simplistic but still beautiful.” Her fingers slid along the spines as she found it out. “Here you go. I don’t use the violin really, but it is in tune and has had rosin on it recently, I leant it to a musician for the gala.” He nodded and picked the bow up, admiring it whilst she put the music onto a music stand for him and put the accompaniment onto the piano.

“My apologies if this sounds awful, I haven’t played in so long.” He said, putting the violin to his shoulder and raising the bow.

“I could say the same thing if I tried.” She said. “I wont judge.” It had been too long Vale decided, and it took him a moment to find the places for his fingers on the strings before he even touched the bow to them. Lux sat back down on the piano stool and crossed her legs, and she waited.

When Vale did begin to play, it was slow, sliding off some of the notes, but not sounding too awful, at least it wasn’t sharp. Lux, counting the beats as she had so often been trained to do, swallowed, and pulled the accompaniment toward her, and set it up over the front of sheet music for lullabies.

Pressing down anxiety for the sole reason that she was used to hearing this tune with the piano as well and it sounded odd to her ears with out it, she spread her fingers across the keys and wondered how out of tune it would be.

As it was, it wasn’t. She nearly stopped when she realised that it was pitch perfect. Vale faltered. “Keep playing.” She said softly. “I think I know where you are.” Not knowing his pacing, she wasn’t sure if they would stay in time together, but she kept playing nonetheless and tried to tell herself that it wasn’t because her mother said that it was a good thing that she had stopped playing. Oh the childish, pettiness of it all.

She liked disappointing her mother.

She heard someone on the stairs, but she ignored them, focusing on the music instead. Then there were another set, and a third quickly behind that. She could feel eyes on her, but she ignored the burning sensation until they reached the end of the piece.

“Is that a Stradivarius?” Irene asked, breaking the silence. Lux had to laugh before twisting to look at her.

“Yes, it is.” She replied. “Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?”

“For the price those things go for, they better.” Irene said. “I didn’t know that you played Vale.”

“I haven’t for a while.” He said, examining the violin again. “It truly is a marvellous instrument. Thank you for letting me play it. Did you play Winters?”

“When I was young.” She said. Kai snorted and she poked him in the ribs.

“Inside joke?” Tam asked when Kai poked Irene back.

“Sort of?” Kai said. “It doesn’t matter. Lux, I thought you didn’t play anymore!”

“It sounded wrong without the piano with it.” She said, jutting her chin out stubbornly.

“Your mother said it was good that you stopped. So naturally, twelve hours later, you start playing again.” Kai said, almost laughing. “I would do the same thing, don’t worry. Granted my mother was always telling me to do sensible things but that is beside the point.”

Lux exhaled and looked back at the piano. “Tam how is the piano still in tune. I certainly haven’t touched it.”

“Oh I learnt how to do it so that you could start playing again if you ever felt like it.” He said. She stared at him; eyes wide. “How do you think it stayed in tune whilst you were pregnant? You were always complaining that you couldn’t reach and that it made your back hurt so I thought why not learn how to do it so you wouldn’t have to post-partum.” Lux nearly knocked him to the floor with how hard she flung herself at him to give him a hug. Kai caught them before they could fall.

“Is this what having siblings is like?” Irene asked, looking at the twins.

“It is usually more whispered insults as soon as your father isn’t paying attention.” Kai said. “Petty pranks and kicking them under the table at state banquets. Maybe that last bit isn’t for typical siblings.”

“I locked my sister in the pantry so I could read without her coming into my bedroom.” Vale said with a shrug. “It worked for a while. Not really worth the trouble though. You are lucky you are an only child Winters.” Well, it was possible that she did have siblings out there that she didn’t know about, but she wasn’t about to go looking, it wasn’t that she didn’t care, it was that she already had a family, she didn’t want to go looking for another, especially when the Library was against familial attachment as a general rule.

“That is just cruel.” She said, shaking her head. “And I think lonely child is a better descriptor, I was awful at socialising until about fourteen. Lux, can I have a look at the violin?”

“Go for it.” She released Tam. “I cannot believe that you learnt to tune a piano for me! That is the best thing you have ever done for me. Thank you so much.” Tam ruffled her hair.

“I am the best brother ever.”

“My baby brother.” She said, ruffling his hair back.

“It is five minutes of difference!”

“Wow Tam, when I was your age, I respected my elders and didn’t shout at them.” Lux said, smiling and setting her hands on her hips.

“Oh go away. I think mother is up so you can get into your bathroom.” Tam said. “Shoo.” She pinched his cheek, span on her heel, and ran. Once she was up the stairs, he turned to Vale. “That is the happiest I have seen her in months. Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Vale asked with a shrug. Both he and Irene were still looking at the violin. “I just asked if I could play. I will admit that I did deliberately pick a piece that I knew had a piano accompaniment.”

“I don’t care if you didn’t do anything. She hasn’t smiled like that in nearly a year now. Thank you so much.”

“Nearly a year?” Kai queried.

“Something happened. I don’t know. She came back from an ultrasound and after that, she was quieter. I think it was when they told her the baby’s gender and she realised that she’d have to give him up.” Tam explained. “I think she was hoping for a girl. She was really excited when she found out that she was expecting.”

“She seemed good yesterday, until Li Ming came to take her to the hospital.” Kai said. “I think the distraction was helping her to forget about everything that has happened. I must admit that I am not fond of that as a coping mechanism.”

“No, I am not either.” Tam admitted. “Hang on. Let’s get coffee. She’ll probably be half an hour or so.” Kai nodded.

“I’m going to go and get ready myself.” Irene said.

“I will too.” Vale said. Irene squeezed Kai’s hand and left him alone with Tam. Tam filled the coffee pot and put it on to brew, getting out two mismatched mugs for the pair of men.

“She seemed… I don’t know.” Kai said, dropping into a kitchen chair. “Almost hyperactive? She has thrown herself into this investigation and seemingly with no care for her own safety.” Tam sighed and nodded.

“I agree with you. It isn’t healthy. I think that she doesn’t care if this hurts her. She is angry and she believes that she has no reason why she shouldn’t throw herself into this with no second thought.” Tam said. “I want to tell her to stop, but at the same time, it is like she was beforehand. But I don’t know if that will keep her satisfied for long, and she’ll need more and more to distract herself and stay happy.” Kai nodded. “Have you had any luck with Wu Kun?”

“He rang me yesterday.” He said. “I haven’t told Lux yet. He’s agreed to talk to me about this. I think I need to know his side before I can argue against it. If he has something concrete…”

“I don’t expect you to lie for us.” Tam said.

“I cannot lie for you. Or for her.” Kai said. “But if there is something that I can argue against, or if I can even argue for her to be allowed to see him, he lives within this world. I see no reason that she cannot be allowed to see him. Something there seems… off.”

“I agree.” Tam said. “I can accept him wanting to raise Fen from a baby. But I do not understand why he took him the way that he did, and why he refuses to let her seem him. She doesn’t even have a picture of him.”

“That is just cruel.” Kai said. “I will see what I can do. But I cannot make any promises.”

“I understand.”

“And Tam? I know she isn’t going to like this idea, but maybe some therapy might be a good idea.” Tam nodded. “I know that we have been raised to be… above that. But I am beginning to think that that was a bad idea, and maybe some help will do her good.”

“Believe me, I want her to at least try that. But she won’t. She is better. Believe me, to start with it was a good day if she actually got up. It is just… she isn’t the same and I don’t know if she ever will be herself again, and that scares me. You know what she was like when we were young.” Kai nodded. “And she wasn’t wearing long sleeves for a few years, now she always wears them. Again.” Kai swallowed. “I don’t know if she’s actually started doing it again or if there is another reason. But I worry.”

“I do too.”

~~

“It is a childish hobby and I don’t know why she bothers.” Li Shan muttered over coffee.

“She enjoys it mother.” Tam said with endless patients, listening to Lux play the violin. “And it is a good, healthy outlet. And besides, she is a fantastic musician, why should she stop playing when she is good at it?”

“It is a distractor.”

“That is what you said when you made her stop doing ballet.” He replied. “And ice skating. And drawing. Let her have music without being scolded. Besides, she can do what she wants as an adult.” His mother turned to him and Tam put his hands up before he could receive an earful. “She is smiling. And I do not care what you think about her playing instruments. And I do not care if you shout at me and lose your temper. This is my house. And she can do as she pleases here, especially play her violin.” Li Shan just stared at him. Tam, who didn’t often snap at his mother, stared back. “And… uh, that is that.” He said lamely.

“Sorry, am I interrupting something?” Irene asked.

“Of course not Irene.” Tam said, smiling again. “Is everything alright?”

“Kai said you may have something for me to take that would help with the headache?” She’d been hoping that the pain of the concussion would have faded, but no such luck and it was still a throbbing pain in her school. Tam frowned.

“You really should have a check up about that.” He said. “Let me ask Lux, she is more likely to.” Irene nodded; he was probably right about the check-up, but she didn’t want to step away from the investigation. “Hey Lux?” He tapped on the music room door and she looked up. “You have any painkillers that can be taken with a concussion?”

“Co codamol.” She said after a pause to think. “Let me see.” They kept medication and a first aid kit in a cupboard in the downstairs bathroom and she found the box with ease. “Here you go.” She said, giving Irene the packet. “Co codamol. Don’t drink and take those, and it shouldn’t make you drowsy, but an extra coffee will not hurt.” Irene nodded.

“Thank you.” She said, popping two pills out of the blister packets. Tam handed her a glass of water and she swallowed them down. “Do you want to come to the British library with me shortly? Kai doesn’t think I should go alone but I want to check in with my superiors.”

“Uh, sure. I can be ready to go in half an hour.” She said. “And I can drive us in, probably better than the tube with a headache.” Irene nodded.

“Sounds good.” She said. “I’ll let Kai know. He and Vale are going to check… something? I will admit that I was not paying too much attention last night.”

“You did fall asleep on the couch.” Tam said. “Though then again, Lux did too not too long after, we don’t judge here.” Li Shan had retired early, Li Ming had gone to his own residence and they had stayed up until one in the morning to talk, though Irene had dozed off on Kai’s shoulder, thank god she hadn’t snored, and he’d woken her up in his attempt to carry her upstairs without rousing her.

“I slept on the couch.” Lux said. “Surprisingly comfortable, given that it is not designed for people to sleep on. Right. I need my gun and phone. Let me find those and the we can let the gents know that we are off. Mother, I suppose that you shall be visiting Yen?”

“I suppose I shall be.” She said, finishing her coffee and setting the mug in the sink. Tam sighed when she was gone.

“I am this close to losing it with her.” He said, his fingers were less than a hairs width apart. “You’d think you kick puppies.”

“I will never be perfect.” Lux sighed. “It is hardly my problem that she is incapable of accepting that.” She shrugged. “Alright, let us get a move on. We aren’t going to fi-” The landline phone rang. “Let’s not get a move on.” She sighed and went to pick up the phone. “Hello?”

“Are you sure you don’t need a trip to the hospital?” Tam asked. “I’m going to keep an eye on Mei for a few hours and could drop you off.” Irene shook her head.

“I’ll be fine.” She said, shaking his head. “It just hurts a bit now. But I haven’t had any other symptoms but the headache so I think I will be fine.” Tam didn’t look convinced. “I will go if any other symptom crops up.”

“Do you honestly think that Kai would let you refuse to go?” Tam asked.

“You would be surprised. He’s never dragged me to the hospital before. I am pretty good with first aid.” Irene said with a shrug. “He trusts me to let him know if I need help. I should let him know that we should be leaving soon.”

“A good idea. And I need to see who is on the phone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof I havent updated this fic in a while, I have just finished writing it so I am uploading it all tonight I think


	12. Chapter 12

Lux hung the phone up and grabbed Tam into another hug. “If you keep doing this you are going to break one of my ribs.” He grumbled into her hair. “What happened?”

“Yen is awake.” She said into his shoulder. “She woke up about two hours ago.” Tam relaxed, and then released her.

“Is she alright?” He asked, already fearing the worst and a long list of problem that came with traumatic head injuries.

“She can’t remember the days leading up to the gala.” Lux said, “but she is awake and so far nothing is showing up on the tests. That was Shui calling to let us know that she will be doing tests all day so we won’t be able to see her. But she is going to be alright.” Tam smiled and mussed up her hair.

“Alright, well, I need to pick up Mei, so stay safe and try not to get yourself killed, alright?” He kissed her temple. “And don’t get Kai or the other two killed either.”

“I make no promises.” She said. “But I shall try for you.” He wrinkled his nose.

“I suppose that will have to do.” And then he was gone.

She took a deep breath and pressed a cool hand to her cheek. “Is everything alright?” Vale’s voice made her jump, she hadn’t been paying enough attention evidently. She took a deep breath and dropped her hand.

“My sister has woken up.” She said, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “She is going to be okay.” Vale’s smile was not as bright or as happy as hers was, but it was there nonetheless. “She has amnesia and cant remember what happened, but she seems fine other than the block of missing memory… Are you and Kai ready to leave? I don’t have a spare key for you to borrow and I am not leaving my doors unlocked.”

“We are.” He said.

~

“Where is Lux? Has something happened?” Irene frowned, looking around the small office that they had co-opted for her to make a temporary passage back to the Library to check in. Lux had been there when she had gone through to the Library twenty-five minutes before hand.

“She had a phone call.” Kai said. “She headed outside to take it, hasn’t come back yet. I was just about to go and look for her. What did the Library say?” Vale unlocked the door and glanced out to make sure it was clear before they left the room and he led the way to the main doors.

Lux was sat on a park bench talking very fast in a cold, harsh voice. “No. You are not listening to me.” She all but hissed. “So listen closely. You were not there. You do not get to tell me how to react. I have had enough.” She flicked her eyes up when she saw them walking toward her. She opened her mouth, and then shut it again. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she breathed deeply.

“I am going to call you back in ten minutes.” She snapped. “And you best have a very good apology for me.” She hung the phone up and took another deep breath.

“Is something wrong?” Kai asked, Lux dramatically sighed and slouched.

“So, there were two charity events planned.” She said. “The gala, which was invite only, and an open air concert that was open to the public, it is tonight. Or was? I thought they would cancel it, but they haven’t done. I was meant to be performing with a group that I have worked with before, they got a call earlier to let them know that it was still going on.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea.”

“That is what I said. But one of the other singers was arguing that no one died, so we’ll be fine.” She ran a hand through her hair, she had left it loose and it hung down to her hips, sweeping over her eyes. “Her response? If you don’t perform, you can never perform with us again. I hate emotional blackmail almost as much as I hate that bitch.”

“Lux.”

“What? She is a bitch. She’s a fucking soprano.” Lux muttered. “I don’t care about not performing with her again. We have never got along, but the others aren’t bad, I quite like them in fact. But I do not want to do this performance. Especially if the current theory is wrong and there’s something else going on.”

“If the charity, or someone attending is the target then they need to know to increase their security.” Vale said.

“There is something else.” Irene said. “All of the attacks have only had one thing in common.” Kai frowned, and then realisation dawn behind his eyes.

“Lux is the only one who has been at all three.” He said and Irene nodded.

“Do you have any enemies Lux?” Vale launched straight into investigation mode, as Irene would call it, a very different version of him compared to the side that could be called soft if you were being kind.

“Plenty.” She shrugged. “It comes with my job really.” He just looked at her. “Vale, I used to spend my days spying on people, gathering information, and on more than one occasion, killing people because of the information. I haven’t done that in over a year now though. I stopped working about four months before I found out that I was pregnant.”

“Is there anything else that you are hiding?” Vale asked. “Because this is the second time that you have done it.” Lux swallowed.

“Lux?” Kai pressed.

“There isn’t anything else.” She said quietly. “At least, I don’t think there is…” she swallowed again.

“Lux if there is anything that could explain this, we have got to know.” Kai said. “Is there something? Not just in your work life.”

“I barely have a personal life.” She said, shaking her head. “Outside of family, there isn’t anyone these days. I mean, Wu Kun and I had a decent relationship for over a year but that crashed and burned and I really do not believe that he would do something like this.”

“I agree there, though that raises other questions but they don’t matter to the case.” Kai said, frowning.

“I don’t think that I am the connection here.” Lux said, shaking her head. “Besides, occams razor argues that you three are the connection.”

“True, but we need to know all of the information.” Vale said. “Are you sure that there isn’t anything? Enemies that you have made.” She shook her head.

“Most enemies wouldn’t live that long.” Kai said.

“He’s right.” She shrugged. “I wouldn’t call myself an assassin, but I was sent to kill people multiple times. Or the people I was sent after are now in prison. I do keep an eye on these things. And I am not living in a world that they could easily reach. Fae don’t like it here.”

“Alright.” Vale said. “Do you need to call that woman back before we continue.” Lux stared at her phone before sighing.

“If I am the target, they may chose another event that I am at where I am out in the open and obviously there, right?” She said. “If you are right and I was the intended target, we could lure them out.”

“Absolutely not.” Kai said, shaking his head. “What ever you are thinking, no. When we suggested baiting whoever this is you said we were being stupid.”

“Yes, well I am a hypocrite.” She said with a shrug. “It would work, wouldn’t it? And we have the opportunity to do it.” She looked between the trio. “I can arrange for an increase in security, our kind of security, further than the charity would have done already. You would probably be there too.” 

“I don’t like this idea.” Kai muttered. Lux was staring at her phone. “If your uncle and mother approve of this idea, then I will not stop you.”

“I am an adult.”

“I don’t doubt that. No, if they approve of the idea and think it would work, I wont try and stop you.” He said. “Logistics are more their side of things, though I doubt either would be keen on you doing this.”

“You know they both encouraged me to train for the elites, right?” She said, pulling up her uncles number, she didn’t have one to call her mother. Irene and Vale wondered off to find coffee whilst she made her calls and returned with take out coffee. Iced coffee for Irene and Kai, iced tea for Lux and a normal coffee for Vale. Lux leant her tea on her cheek as she spoke to the same woman as earlier.

“It is all set up.” She said, hanging up again and putting the phone away. She finally sucked on the straw. “Oh that is so good right now. Thank you.”

“How long do we have to plan something?” Vale asked. “To make sure that we are ready just in case.” Lux checked her watch.

“Ten hours?” She said after a moment. It was half ten in the morning. “I need to be there half an hour early to make sure I have the tech sorted out, though I would prefer to be there an hour early just to make sure everything and everyone is in place. Uncle said that he would arrange for support and security, he’ll call when he has the details.”

“What does that leave to be done?” Irene asked.

“Follow up on our own leads, if we can get this wrapped up in the next ten hours I don’t have to perform, and I really don’t feel like pretending to be happy and confident.” Kai arched an eyebrow. “What? Last time I sung my sister got put in hospital. Don’t tell Tam I said that, no one needs a rant about correlation not causation.”

“He’d be right.” Vale said.

“Mister Vale you are a font of knowledge, it truly is a shame that the information isn’t useful.” She gave him a simpering smile. “Do you have anything useful to add right now?” Kai pinched her arm and she slapped his hand. “No?”

“If you are the target, and they have failed three times already, they may go for a deadly murder approach.” Vale said. “I understand that Dragons are stronger than Humans are, but I do not know if you could survive a bullet to the head.”

“I think they have proven to be a bit more dramatic than a sniper.” She replied. She didn’t look too confident though. “If they go for a bullet to the head, I am dead.” She shrugged. “Or the throat or heart. Other than that, I think I could walk it off after a few weeks.”

“How can you be so blasé about potentially getting shot in the head?” Kai demanded. “Shot at all?” Lux laughed and took a sip of her tea, staring out into the road. She smiled but her eyes screamed melancholia.

“It would stop whoever has done this.” She said quietly. “I don’t currently have much to live for.” She shrugged. “You accept that after a while and get over the fact that we are only mortal, even if we do have very long life spans, we all die in the end. Some of us just sooner than later.” Kai was staring at her. “Stop looking at me like that Kai. It is true. I don’t have anything these days. Everyone can move on and forget me.”

“You know that isn’t true.” Kai said.

“Do I?” She asked, getting up. “We have things that should be done. Places to be and questioning me on my apathetic approach to life isn’t going to get them done. Come on, lets go.”


	13. Chapter 13

“Well then Princess? What colour icing are we putting on the cupcakes?” Tam asked. “What would mama want?”

“Puple.” She said and Tam laughed as she pointed at the colour that she wanted.

“Purple it is then Princess.” He looked up as he heard the door open. “Lux?”

“It’s me Tam.” Li Ming called as he undid his coat and hung it up. “Lux rang me about an hour ago with a plan for what is going to happen next.” He stepped into the kitchen and frowned, both Tam and Mei were covered in flour and the girl had cake batter around her mouth from liking the spoon. “You may want to clean her up before returning her.” Mei waved at Li Ming, and he waved back.

“I have a clean change of clothes for her and some bubble bath so she can get washed up before Shui gets here.” Tam said. “We’re making cupcakes.”

“I think you are covered in the cupcakes.” He remarked, getting himself a mug out and turning on the coffee machine. “You aren’t going to like the plan.”

“Would it be something to do with the concert tonight?” Tam asked as he attempted to fill an icing bag and got a lot of it on his hands. “I got a call about that earlier but when I tried to call her, her line was engaged.”

“She’s doing it.” Li Ming said, adding milk to the coffee before he switched to Japanese. “I have arranged for security, myself and your mother will be there, along with two dozen additional guards dotted around in plain clothes.”

“She is a reckless idiot.” Tam muttered as he washed his hands off, matching his uncle’s switch in language. “She is going to get herself hurt and she doesn’t even care anymore. I can’t decide if she wants to die and is too scared to do it herself, or if she thinks that she can prove herself to… someone.” 

“I am hoping it is the former, and not that latter.” Li Ming replied. “She’ll be safe. She won’t be out of sight the entire time as, so far, she is the only one who has been at all three attacks.” He wetted a washcloth and used it to try and wash some of the batter off Mei’s face. “I won’t let her get hurt.”

The front door opened again. “Tammy, I have some bad news.” Lux called as she kicked off her shoes. “And good news if you want to help me pick out an outfit.”

“Believe me, I know.” He called back. “In the kitchen. Not with the others?”

“They are off following up on leads.” She said. “I need to get ready for tonight and… oh thank heavens that Yen won’t see her like this. Actually.” She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture. “I think it’s cute, but she’ll lose it.”

“Already planned for that.” Tam said. “Okay. So, tonight, what is the plan, so my blood pressure doesn’t go through the roof?” Lux took the cloth from Li Ming and managed a much more effective job of returning Mei to a semi clean state.

“The plan is to catch whoever has done this.” She replied, setting the cloth down and kissing Mei’s cheek. “How has she been?” She asked in Japanese, Yen and Shui always used the language to talk in front of her and the three of them had picked up the habit.

“Still won’t talk much. But she is doing much better today.” Tam replied. “Okay. So tonight, what happens if you don’t find out who has done this and stop them?”

“We keep investiagating until we do.” She said. “I need to try and get a few hours of sleep though, or I won’t be much use tonight.”

“You have been needed a few hours more sleep for a few months.” Tam said. Lux shrugged.

“You try the constant paranoia and night terrors and see how you come out.” She said. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

~~

Kai slipped the car keys into his pocket, Lux had given them to him with the threat that, if he scratch it, she would break his face. She was oddly protective of the car, Vale remarked after hearing it. Kai had tried to explain the value of a vintage sports car, he didn’t seem to understand it and just nodded and pretended to understand.

He was content to let Irene and Vale do the majority of the talking when trying to get as much information as they could from neighbours, they were much better at working out what questions to ask than he was, even if he was much better at flashing a smile and getting said answers.

Irene’s phone buzzed and she frowned, looking down to see what it was. It was an unknown number, but she answered it anyway.

“Hello?” She asked, stepping away from Vale who was questioning the neighbour of the man in the theatre, the police had gone, giving them opportunity to go and ask their questions.

The phone crackled for a few seconds, before, “hello Irene.” The voice had a strong Irish lilt to it and even though she didn’t recognise it, she knew who it was in an instant. “I think you have been looking for me.”

“I have.” She said. “Tell me where you are, maybe we can talk.”

“I don’t think so. You took everything from me.” His voice was a cold snarl. “I lost because of you and your friends. How about I take them from you? How about you lose too?”

“We’re onto you.” Kai was watching her, and he got Vale’s attention.

“Mm, true. But you don’t know where I am. And I don’t think you can find me in time. You may find my next surprise though, it’s tonight. I’ll be out of this world once I hang up.” He said, she could hear him almost laughing at her, mocking her. “Oh, and pass on a message to your little friend, tell her thank you. She was so much fun. You should have heard her scream.” She shoved her phone into Kai’s hand, hand over her mouth as her stomach clenched and she thought that she was about to throw up.

She took shallow breaths and swallowed bile. Kai’s words were fuzzy in her ears, she couldn’t hear him. Vale pinched her arm, hard. That brought her back to the present and she resisted the urge to smack him as hard as she could manage.

“Give me a minute.” She said quietly. She fumbled for the bottle in her bag and took a long drink. “Okay. I’m back. That was O’Hara.”

“Are you certain?” Vale pressed. She nodded.

“He told me to… he asked me to pass Seraphina a message, to thank her for being fun.” She swallowed. “And screaming. Sorry, I thought that I was going to throw up for a minute. It’s passed.”

“What else did he say?” Kai slipped Irene’s phone into her bag; O’Hara had hung up before he had a chance to say anything to the man.

“That he is leaving the world as soon as he hangs up. He’s probably already gone. And that there was one last surprise from him, tonight. Apparently, he is determined to take everything from me, because I took everything from him.”

“How do you feel?”

“Scared. Sick. And angry.” She was clenching the bottle in her hand and the plastic crackled. “We need to know what he is planning, because I think it is designed to kill people, probably you two. The idea is to take everything from me. Anyone that I care about that he can find information on is at risk, depending on his contacts, that puts my parents at risk, you two at risk and a few other Librarian’s that I’d consider myself close to, and possibly Bradamant in there too simply because we have worked together.”

“Throw in Silver and Mu Dan into the mix as he’s already proven a grudge against them.” Kai said. “That’s a lot of people who may be targeted.”

“Let’s focus on tonight.” Vale said. “The logical place for this ‘surprise’ would be the concert that Lux is in. However, we have no evidence to argue that is where it will be, he must have people working for him.”

Irene could tell Vale was getting frustrated, the case was turning out to be one wrong lead after another and now it looked like they would be unable to track her perpetrator down before he hurt more people.

“They need to cancel the event.” Kai said, pulling his own phone out and then frowning.

“Is something wrong?”

“Wu Kun was trying to phone me.” He said slowly. “I should call him back.” Vale sighed.

“We don’t exactly have much else to do right about now.” Kai nodded and wondered off a bit. Irene crossed her arms and leant against a lamp post. “What are you thinking?” He asked, turning to her.

“I am thinking that, no matter what we do, we are not going to get O’Hara. Not this time.” She sighed. “People will probably get hurt tonight, he won’t go for a bomb again, he’d know that we would find that first. Poison maybe, hit men maybe? Squad of armed men, or something else. I think that the aim was to kidnap us to begin with, but not anymore. That’s failed twice now.” She leant her head back. “And it is all my fault for losing my temper.”

“You still blame yourself?” He asked. “Why?”

“Because I played right into what he wanted.” She said bitterly. “He baited me into losing my temper. He wanted me to lash out at him. And I did. He wanted us to be here, and we are here. Am I going to get you and Kai killed?”

“Until you actually do something to deliberately kill us, no.” Vale said. “You are not to blame for anything that has happened. You just find it easier to take the blame yourself, rather than give it to people who aren’t here.” She arched an eyebrow. “Your sense of humility and lack of self-esteem are quite something miss Winters.” She nearly laughed.

“Please not back to miss Winters. It is so formal, and I don’t even have a surname. Winters, or Irene.” She said. “Maybe I do have a surname? I just never bothered to ask my father, and I don’t think he would have told me the truth anyway. He would have lied to protect me. It is better not knowing information that can be used against you.”

“What about your birth certificate? Is it not on there, or have you not seen it?” He asked curiously.

“I do not have one.” She shrugged. “I never met my birth parents. And I don’t know if my parents actually have it to ask to see it, if it exists.”

“I didn’t know you were adopted.” Vale remarked. “You’ve never mentioned it before.”

“I haven’t actually known about it for long.” She said. “My parents don’t even know that I know that they are not my parents by blood. I haven’t seen them, and it isn’t the kind of conversation to have over email.” Vale nodded. “And I don’t think I want to talk to them about it, or at least, I don’t think I am ready. They didn’t tell me my entire life. I am thirty-eight, and not a word of it. I wonder if they ever intended on telling me.”

“Does it matter?”

“It does when other people know, and I hear it from them first.” She said. “Alberich told me. Librarians cannot have children together. He laughed and me, mocked me for not knowing. I don’t care that I am not their blood, they loved me and raised me and that’s good enough for me.”

“But the way that you found out isn’t.”

“I thought he was lying to start with. Turns out that it is in my Library file. The Library knew, and still no one told me. I should feel betrayed, maybe they did it for my own good. I won’t know until I am brave enough to ask about it though.”

“Do you really want to know?” He asked. “You don’t seem too keen on getting the information.”

“I…” She sighed. “I don’t know. I think that I need to know the truth.”

“The truth can hurt Irene.” She smiled, looking up at him, whilst she slouched against the lamp post, he had a good half a foot on her own height, and she did have to tilt her head back to look at him.

“No more than the lie has already.” She said. “Does this mean I can call you Peregrine?”

“Not for all the money in the world.” He said, shaking his head. “Who is Wu Kun? Strongrock looks quite annoyed.”

“The father of Lux’s child.” Irene said. “Took the baby from her hospital room when he was a few hours old and has been refusing to let her see him. Lux says that they had an agreement that she could raise the baby until he was six months old, but he disputes that and claims that they have a written contract.” Vale arched an eyebrow. “Dragons seem to reproduce based on who they have a breeding contract with. I haven’t asked much; Kai has only mentioned it a few times. From what I understand, Yen and Shui have one simply because it is expected of them. Dragons also don’t seem to do marriage.”

“No family in the future for you and Strongrock?” She tilted her head and looked at Kai who was pacing back and forth.

“Maybe. Librarians don’t usually have family, and I don’t even know if a human and a Dragon could produce viable offspring.” She said, looking down. “We may be unable to have a family, even if we wanted to have one.”

“Adoption?”

“If we decided that we wanted a family and couldn’t, I think that would be what I’d suggest.” She said with a nod. “I don’t know what Kai would want to do though. Maybe find a surrogate.”

“A surrogate?”

“In more technologically advanced worlds you can have other women carry the child if you are unable to.” She said. “Or cannot produce a viable offspring. Then at least the child would be his biologically. He’d be expected to have a biological heir. That is less important to me, not sure what his family would think.”

“And what would the Library say? Surely they would not be pleased.”

“I would almost definitely be stripped of my brand and thrown out.” She said. “I would have to make a choice. I don’t know if I could do that.”


	14. Chapter 14

Lux stretched her legs out in front of her, a folder of sheet music was open on her legs and she watched Kai and Vale pace around the living room. Irene was sat cross legged on the couch opposite her, seemingly playing a game on her phone.

 _“What are they talking about?”_ Tam asked in Dutch, leaning over the back of the sofa to whisper to his sister, and praying that Kai hadn’t decided to learn Dutch since they’d last spoken. From the glare shot his way, he had not. _“Plans?”_

 _“I haven’t been listening.”_ She replied with a shrug. _“I think so. Did you put the dishwasher on?”_ He groaned. _“Did you at least fill it?”_

 _“Yes. I managed that much.”_ He said. _“I’ll put it on now. Do you want a cupcake? They are pretty good.”_

_“Did you use a box mix?”_

_“Very funny.”_ He said. _“I will admit, letting Mei turn the icing bright purple probably was a bad idea. She is the sweetest little thing, but heavens is she so stupid.”_

 _“She is a toddler.”_ Lux said. _“So I think that you are an idiot for agreeing to do it. How did you get her to nap with that much sugar in her?”_

 _“She hasn’t had any yet, I said that she could have some after she slept for an hour. Worked like a charm.”_ He said. _“They are blueberry cupcakes.”_

 _“Ooh, my favourite.”_ Lux said. _“Put the dishwasher on.”_

 _“I love you too.”_ He said, pushing the back of her head and walking off. _“Do you want cake? I think that it is fifty percent sugar and icing I should say. Ask the others.”_

“I don’t think I want to poison anyone.” She replied, flipping her page. “Let me see.” She switched to English. “Kai, if I said Tam and Mei made blueberry cupcakes and were offering you one, what would you say?”

“Not if you paid me.” Kai replied.

“Hey! I am pretty good at cooking.”

“They are bright purple.” Lux said. “I don’t trust any food that looks that unnatural. Even if it does contain some fruit.” She ran fingers through her hair and then checked her watch. “I should be getting ready anyway, it’ll just make me sick.”

“You should eat something.” Tam said. “Want me to cook you something?” Lux sighed and shut the folder and slid it onto the coffee table.

“Let me decide what I am wearing first. I should have done that earlier, but I couldn’t decide.” She got up and stretched. “Is Mei sleeping in your room?”

“She is. Please don’t wake her.” He called after her as she headed up the stairs. He turned the dishwasher on before coming back into the lounge. “Do you have a plan for tonight? I don’t feel too great about letting Lux do stupid and dangerous things. And this seems like a stupidly dangerous thing.”

“She should be safe.” Kai said. “There will be enough security there that she won’t ever be out of sight. To be honest, we don’t even know if anyone will be there tonight. We know there is something tonight, but not where. We could be wrong, and nothing will happen at the concert.”

“Well shit, what happens then?”

“I would like to tell you that I know. But I don’t have a clue right now.”

~~

Irene smiled as Kai slipped an arm around her hips. She leant her head on his shoulder. “Should you be this affectionate? We’ll be seen by someone who could report it to your father?” She spoke in a low murmur, but the music was loud enough to cover up anything that she could have been saying at a normal volume.

“No one can see us here.” He replied, though he did glance around to check. He kissed her temple. “Worried?”

“Sick with it.” She replied. “I keep waiting for something to go wrong. I wonder if this is how Vale always feels, always on edge waiting for someone to shoot, or for something to explode, or for something, anything, to go wrong.”

“Sorry that this wasn’t the nice, relaxing break that you were meant to be having right now.” He said.

“What do you have to apologise for? It is my fault O’Hara is after us.” She replied, flicking her eyes up to look him in the eye. “I am sorry that I have put your friends and your family in danger.”

“You didn’t do anything. O’Hara had it in for you long before you blew up his house. Long before any of us knew who he was.” He gave her a squeeze. “You are not to blame.” Irene sighed but didn’t argue otherwise, Kai was as stubborn as she could be, and just as argumentative when he chose to be, and he almost always chose to be.

“We should try and get a better vantage point.” Irene said. “And we are not meant to be out of the line of sight of security.” Kai sighed, cupped her jaw and kissed her forehead, and then released her again.

“Fine.” He complained. “Do you want to try and find Vale, and I will find the twins. Lux should still be around for a bit longer.”

“Sure.” Irene tried to ignore the warm, happy feeling that she was filled with every time that Kai kissed her forehead. There was something about it that just made her feel safe and loved. She linked their fingers together for a second and squeezed his hand, before letting go, and disappearing into the crowd.

Kai watched her go before he turned to look for the golden twins, they were usually hard to miss, and he was right. Lux was leaning on the balcony looking thoroughly unimpressed whilst Tam talked animatedly at her side, a sign of his nerves Kai decided. Tam was usually talkative, but he was usually better at reading Lux’s mood and realising that she was not interested in conversing.

“Have you seen anything?” He asked, slipping through people and to their sides. Lux was dressed in a gauzy dress with a skirt of strips of fabric that floated down to her knees, similar to the dress that she had worn at the gala but shorter and more relaxed. Tam wore a shirt the same shade of white gold, tucked into black skinny jeans.

“Drunken idiot.” Lux muttered. “Someone letting their children run amuck.” She dropped her head and looked down. “Security guards that need to learn the meaning of subtlety and discretion.”

“How can you tell?” Tam asked, frowning down, Kai looked too.

“They all wear the same shoes.” She said. “Steel toe cap boots, who wears those when not working or hiking?” She herself was wearing strappy stilettos that Kai had tried to persuade her to change out of, but she’d insisted that she would be fine in them, and then threatened to show him how much it would hurt a man if she put the heel through his foot, he had not let her.

“I don’t see it.” Tam shrugged. “They are discreet for people who don’t regularly look at security and royal guards. So far, I think only idiots have been conducting these plots, one of them accidentally killed themselves after all.

“Irene and I haven’t seen anything either.” He could see her and Vale from his superior vantage point. “They may have something planned for the end of the night, or somewhere else.” The twins nodded. “Nervous Lux?”

“Ready for this to be done with.”


	15. Chapter 15

Lux could feel herself shaking as she got off the stage, her set done. She could hear applause, but she felt cold all over and a little sick. “Lux?” Someone was saying her name and she forced herself to focus.

“Vale.” She swallowed; her mouth was dry. “Is everything alright? Has something happened?”

“No. Kai sent me to collect you.” He offered her his elbow and she took it. “Are you feeling alright? You look a little sick.” She touched her temple.

“Stage fright.” She said. “It’ll pass. I get anxious easily and with everything going on, I am very stressed right now. And you probably do not care. Sorry.”

“Why would you be nervous, you have a fantastic voice.” He said. “I must say that this world has interesting music, but I think your performance was very good for someone who is very nervous.”

“It’s acting.” She said. “Pretend to be confident until you are, or just keep pretending. Can we get a drink? My mouth is dry after all of that.” Vale nodded and led the way through the pressing crowds, some telling Lux that they liked her, more were interested in drinking in drinking. She only got a bottle of water, offering some to Vale after she’d drunk about a quarter of it and he gratefully took it, it was warm out and with so many people, it was unbearable.

It took twenty minutes for them to find Kai and Irene, Lux grabbing Vale’s hand like she had done in the hospital and this time she led the way; she’d noticed the uncomfortable look in his eyes as they darted around. She’d seen it before in other people who’d grown used to quiet worlds, over stimulation.

“Everything alright?” Kai asked. Both of them nodded and she released his hand. “You were great Lux.” She blushed and ducked her head.

“Security have seen nothing strange so far.” Li Ming said. “Nothing to worry about, but they are continuing to search everyone as they come in and go out. Lux, could you see anything from on the stage?”

“No.” She said, shaking her head. “Tell security to be less obvious though? It is just embarrassing.”

“I already have done, I thought so too.” Vale frowned and turned away to look back over the balcony. Something felt… wrong. And something looked wrong too.

“Grenade!” He shouted before it came sailing over the balcony edge. Irene was swept off her feet by Kai and Lux knocked Vale down before pinning him there, shielding him when it went off, her arm over the back of her head, holding her breath until the explosion went off, and the air was filled with dust and screams, all over again.

She didn’t hesitate this time, drawing her gun and getting up again, dashing for the stairs. “Lux, wait!” Kai shouted after her, but his voice did not slow her. Vale coughed before getting up, unholstering the gun that she had lent him.

Lux pushed through the screaming crowd, shoving people out of her way, looking for the person that threw the grenade. Vale grabbed the collar of her dress and yanked her to the ground, narrowly avoiding a spray of bullets. She hissed like a snake and shook him off, cocking her gun and taking out three assailants whilst he took the fourth.

“You shouldn’t run off like that.” He snapped.

“I know what I am doing.” She replied. That much was obvious to him, three people were definitely dead at her hand whilst his target was still alive. Probably. Nearly everyone had run for it as soon as the shooting had started. Some cowered behind the bar or had straight up run out of the amphitheatre and the park was filled with the sound of screams.

“And that doesn’t mean you can get yourself killed like an idiot.” He shot back. He looked up to the balcony, Kai, Irene and Li Ming were on their feet again, peering down. Lux looked around, counting the security guards. “That was too easy.”

“I agree.” Lux said. “Back upstairs. Something seems-” More gun shots and she span to face the source of the cracking sounds that echoed through the theatre. Great acoustics, it was a shame that it was not the time to appreciate that. The others that hadn’t fled the balcony came clattering down the stairs, Li Ming pausing at the top of the stairs, firing a few shots before following him down.

Kai grabbed Irene and pushed her behind him. Irene pushed him off her, cocked her own gun and took down one of the shooters following them down the stairs. He gawped at her. “Now is not the time.” She told him as Lux, Li Ming and the guards took out the remaining shooters.

Tam was on the phone falling the police. Rather unnecessary in Lux’s opinion but she wasn’t stopping him. Li Shan was talking quietly to one of the guards before a couple of them headed down the stairs to the lower levels.

“That was easy.” Kai said. “It seems wrong.”

“We were prepared for it.” Vale said, frowning. “But you are right. I don’t like this.” He was looking around, up and down the stairs to see if he could see more people. Guards were escorting those who had chosen shelter over running out. “Irene, where did you learn to shoot?”

“Oh they taught us at school.” She said with a shrug. She hadn’t put it away and was still holding it tightly in both hands in a professional grip, ready to fire again if she needed to. “And the Library teaches us as well. Operatives who get themselves killed are not very useful.”

“So you have never been shot?” Kai muttered.

“Touché.” She replied. “I haven’t died yet.”

“Yet.” Lux chuckled. “Important to add that.”

“I am only mortal.” Irene replied. “But I have managed to stay alive thus far. I am quite proud of that in fact.” Lux laughed.

“You know what, fair enough.” Lux said. “I’d say that is a pretty good thing to be proud of.” She turned to Tam. “Do you think mother is proud that we haven’t got ourselves yet?”

“She is, she hates funerals.” Li Ming said, the twins stared at him. “I’m proud of you though.” Lux grinned, looking quite pleased with herself, and what he had said. Tam rolled his eyes at her, but he was smiling too.

“I guess it’s home time then?” Tam said, looking around and frowning. “I expected more to be honest. Am I jinxing things by saying that?”

“Only if you believe in luck.” Vale said. “Which I do not.”

Lux holstered her gun and sat down; her feet were hurting. “Did O’Hara only mention one thing happening?” She asked. Irene nodded and she looked around. “This feels wrong. Like someone is about to come out of the shadows with a rifle, or something.”

“I was thinking that too.” Irene said. “The threat wasn’t really aimed at me. I thought Kai or Vale would have been more at risk rather than an open assault like this.”

“We should clear the area.” Lu Shan said. “We are in far too open of an area if someone were to target the prince.” Li Ming nodded.

“Or anyone else.” Kai said. “I think that is a good idea though. Let’s get out of here.” Irene slipped the gun away, as did Vale. The older set of twins kept their pistols out and so did the guards that escorted them out into the main part of the park and led them out to the street in a fast trot.

“What now?” Tam asked. He was fidgety, unused to being in these kinds of scenarios and wished that he was back in his bed and not here. “Do we go home? Somewhere else? Can I go home?”

“No.” Li Shan said. She pulled out her car keys and tossed them to him. “Hide in the car if you want to.” Tam caught them.

“I know she wants me to say I’ll stay,” he said in a low voice to Lux and Kai, “But I am out of here. Sorry.”

“What are you apologising for?” Kai asked. “Go, keep yourself safe.” He clapped Tam’s shoulder before letting him go. He squeezed Lux’s hand for a second and then disappeared as fast as he could down the street. “What are you thinking?” He asked Vale.

“There are too many areas of approach, though I cannot see anyone coming this way, nor can I hear them. Yourself?” Vale asked, frowning. Lux’s gun was still in her holster, but she held her hand out for Vale’s slid the magazine out, checked the remaining bullet count and slid it back in place with a click. 

“I don’t sense anything.” Kai said with a frown. “Lux, Irene?”

“I am only human.” Irene said with a shrug. “I don’t feel anything different metaphysically.” She did. But it was what she normally felt around Dragons, are pressure on her shoulders and across her back. She was used to that now though and didn’t really notice it until she felt the opposite, chaotic energies. “And I don’t hear anything either.” They turned to Lux, who was tilting her head slightly, her eyes were shut.

“Uncle. Mother.” She said, ignoring the trio looking at her.

“I hear it too.” Li Shan said. “Coming from the west.”

“No. The east.” Li Ming said. “Both. They mean to surround us. I recommend that you all take cover.” Kai grabbed Irene’s hand and they fit in between the gap between the bumpers of two cars. Vale fit himself into the gap the car behind them, and Lux found herself a spot on the other side of the road and pulled her gun out again. Kai couldn’t see where Li Ming and Li Shan had gone.

“Keep yourself safe.” He said, cupping Irene’s jaw and pressing his lips to hers in a quick kiss. He could sense the rushing water in the sewage below, and judging by the quickly accumulating clouds, Lux was about to start quite the storm, so he may be about to get plenty of fresh water too.

“I can look after myself.” She replied before her expression softened. “Keep yourself safe too. I love you.” She looked up as she heard the tell-tale rumble of thunder and watched the clouds that billowed on a wind that wasn’t there five minutes ago, and if she wasn’t crouched between two cars it would probably have been messing up her hair. She could hear heavy combat boots on the road now.

There was a static edge on the air, tingling on her skin. “Is it a good idea to be touching metal cars in a storm?” She asked.

“Don’t touch the car.” Kai said. “Lux should be in control of this, so we should be safe. Her affinity may be volatile, but she learnt to control it from a young age.”

“Unlike you?”

“I have a short temper. But trust me, I used to be much worse.” Kai said with a sheepish grin. “Teenagers are so annoying sometimes, me included.” More boot steps and Irene nervously looked around.

“Irene!” A man’s voice shouted her name over the grumbling thunder. “Come out and we will not hurt your friends.” She swallowed. “Or we will kill your friends, starting with the detective. We know he’s here with you.”

“Don’t.” Kai said in a low voice, he grabbed Irene’s wrist. She craned her neck to catch their reflection as a group of six men stood in the middle of the road, she imagined there were more coming from the other side, Li Ming had heard them coming. “Xingan.”

“If you don’t come out, we’ll open fire. Everyone here will die. Is that really what you want?” They shouted, lighting cracked like a whip, but too far off. Irene had another look.

“Let me go.” She whispered to Kai, and he tightened his grip. “Kai, they’re stood by a manhole cover. Over the sewers.” He looked into the window too, and slowly loosened his grip on her forearm. “I’ll try and get them talking, if they won’t, I’ll run for Lux and you can soak them.” He let her go. She leant in to kiss him, holstered the gun, and stood up, raising her hands to be level with her head, and she walked out of cover.

“Who sent you after me?” She asked, slowly walking to the centre of the road, keeping her hands raised. “Was is O’Hara?”

“It was.” The man replied, she could hear the others behind her, spreading out and she wondered how close to a sewage grate they were, and how many bullets she would have to avoid. “He wants to talk to you.”

“I spoke to him earlier.” Irene said. “I don’t want to talk to him again. He hurt someone I cared about. He has threatened others. I have no interest in talking to him or going anywhere with you.” He grinned at her, an animalistic, toothy grin.

“Then we will make you.” He replied before turning to the man next to him. “Find the detective. Shoot him in the leg.” Irene swallowed, flicking her eyes to Lux who was watched with ruby red eyes and golden scales on her cheeks. She glanced to Kai, he was tensed to spring into action, his fingers pressed into the road.

“Now Kai!” She shouted, running to Lux as she heard a sudden gush of water, and a spray of bullets as people fired in shock. Lux shifted back and Irene dove down by her, skinning her knee and drawing her blood. She could smell the reek of sewage and the metallic scent of gunpowder, mingling in the air.

“You alright?” Lux asked. Irene nodded, a little breathless. “Good. Think you can cover me if I try and take out some of them on the right?” Irene pulled her gun out and nodded again. “Great, feel free to try and shoot as many as possible.” Irene’s smile was grim as she pressed her lips into a line and tried not to breath too deeply threw her nose.

The pair of women managed to shoot five people between them, more were falling presumably thanks to Li Ming and Li Shan, and possibly Vale too. She could hear more gun shots, and more thunder now. She glanced at Lux, who was looking up at the sky. She supposed that it was covering the sounds of the ensuing gunfire.

She felt a few droplets of rain splatter on her shoulders and on her head, before more and more fell, and the lightning strikes seemed to be getting nearer. Lux’s eyes were still ruby red, and more and more of her skin was being overtaken by scales like hammered gold, her hair floated on the breeze, and Irene wondered if it was actually the static.

She looked to Kai, he’d relaxed again, but was still crouched low, his eyes had faded back to sapphire. Vale had moved to join him. Lux poked her head out again and ducked back when a bullet whistled past her, close enough to hear it, and pierce the car behind her. She dropped back, eyes wide and breathing heavily.

“Six still standing. I don’t think mother and uncle can get a clear shot.” She breathed, looking at Irene. “Round the side of the cars, we can flank them.” She nodded. Keeping low, as to not get shot or shot at, they almost crawled out of the gap and onto the path. One man stood on the path and Irene’s bullet hit him in the thigh.

Irene had to blink bright spots out of her eyes as a fork of lightning split the skies with a sudden and brilliant flash. Lux ran along the outside of the cars, calling to Irene to stay down before she disappeared between two cars with another bright flash. She was more than happy to follow the suggestion and crouched by a car and leant against it with a sigh.

It smelt really bad.


	16. Chapter 16

Kai poked a prostrate man with the toe of his boot. When he didn’t move, Kai shrugged and stepped over him. “You are alright?” He asked Irene. She nodded, looking around. “I think Lux finished them all off with that strike. Not too sure how many survived that.” Irene gave a tired laugh and leant against his shoulder. “I take it you are ready to go home?”

“I am ready to be done with all of this.” She replied. “And sleep for as long as I can do.”

“Same.” He said with a laugh. “We should be able to leave soon. I think Li Ming will get everything here covered and we’ll be able to leave.” Lux was sat cross legged on the hood of a car that had bullet holes in the side and windscreen. Vale was leant against the door, talking to her about the benefits of the modern gun that she had lent him versus the types of guns that were available in his world.

She looked completely human now, eyes pale again and skin soft and milky, her hair looked windswept and she had twisted it into a messy bun, with straggling curls about her face. Her dress was soaked from the rain and she’d taken her shoes off and they were on the roof of the car next to her.

“I think you can probably sleep as long as you want tomorrow. I still need to speak to Wu Kun.” He said. “I’ll have to take Vale home as well, his cases will start to pile up, you too if you want to go home. Until then, Lux?” He called out her name and she looked up and so did Vale. “Do you know how much longer we are going to have to wait?” She shrugged before hopping off the car and carefully picking her way over bodies, blood and bullets to the side of her family members.

“You can go home.” Li Ming said to her. “It’s easiest if we get this covered up without a lot of people around. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“I’m going to see Yen as soon as I wake up.” She said. “I’ll be at the hospital if you need me.” Li Ming nodded. “Mother, do you need a room again?”

“No. I shall find somewhere else to stay.” Li Shan said. “You need some rest.” That the pair actually agreed on for a change. Lux nodded before turning and walking back to the car. She collected her shoes but didn’t put them back on.

“Let’s get out of here.” She said tiredly. “Kai are you awake enough to drive? I am not right now.” She pulled her keys out. He nodded and she passed them over. They passed Li Shan’s car to pick up Tam, who hugged his sister before doing anything else.

Irene woke to the sun in her eyes and Kai on the other side of the bed, his hand on her hip and his face in her hair. “Don’t move.” He said, voice thick with sleep. “Stay with me a bit longer.” She smiled before rolling over to slip her arm around him and kiss him.

“Good morning.” She said. “Still tired?” Kai nodded. Irene wasn’t feeling particularly awake, but Kai still looked exhausted. “Is something wrong?”

“I got up about an hour ago to take Vale back, Li Ming was talking to the twins, we are all wanted to discuss what happened with my uncle. So Vale is still in the spare room. I was just falling back to sleep when you woke.”

“Sorry.” She said.

“No, I don’t mind. Just don’t get up yet. We aren’t needed until tonight. Uncle has other business today. And I am meeting Wu Kun after lunch to talk about Lux and the baby.” His voice was clearing up from the husky, sleepy voice to his normal one.

“He agreed to meet?” He nodded.

“Mmhmm, said that he had something that I needed to know to understand. I have been wracking my brain, but cant think of what it could be. Lux… she isn’t a bad person, even if her job means she has to be sometimes. I don’t know what she has done that could make him act like this. What could justify it.” Irene kissed his forehead, and he smiled, making a soft noise in the back of his throat as he shifted closer to her, so that she was pulled close to his bare chest. “Until then…”

“You should go back to sleep.” She said. He almost whined.

“We have hardly had any time to ourselves over the past few days.” He complained. “How is your head?” He gently touched the back of her head, where it had hit the floor. “Does it still hurt?”

“No. I feel fine.” She assured him. Mainly true. The pain had nearly completely faded, but she didn’t want to worry him after everything that had just gone on, and he still had to try and help Lux. “How do you feel?”

“Good.” He said. “I’ve got you.” Irene smiled and kissed him. Kai ran his fingers along her jaw before cupping her face and kissing back. “And this is the perfect way to wake up.” He said. Irene kissed him again, and again. Neither wanted to get up, and both had the perfect excuse to stay in bed.

Spent, sweaty and sans clothes now, Irene dropped back onto her pillow with a sigh. Kai’s skin stuck to hers when he pulled her close again and buried his face into the nape of her neck and exhaled. Irene tried to push him away when the sensation of his breath brushing her skin tickled and made her laugh. He held her tighter.

“I could stay like this forever.” He said. “Anywhere with you is where I want to be.” She snickered. “Why are you laughing at me?”

“I never took you for the sentimental type.” She said. “I suppose you calling me Xingan should have given that away months ago. But that was really quite cheesy Kai.” He kissed her throat and slid his hand from the side of her ribs to her waist, pulling her flush to his chest, teeth grazing over her skin and making her bite back a gasp.

Someone knocked on the door and Kai released her with a supressed curse. “Give us a minute.” He called to the door.

“Ba wants you.” Mei said. They heard Mei’s feet as she ran back down the stairs.

“Thank god she knocked.” Kai said as he sat up and looked around for his clothes. “That could have got very bad, very quick.” Irene laughed and draped her arm over her eyes. “I didn’t hear them get here.” He looked at Irene, she’d covered herself up with sheets. “I had a very good distractor though.” She flicked his elbow.

“Get dressed. Before Shui comes to find you. He may not knock.” Irene said as she sat up, keeping the sheets clutched to her chest. She dragged them off the bed as she stood up to get her clothes.

“Hey!” Kai protested, trying to drag some of it back and failing. “Now I’m cold.” He hurried to dress as Irene showered. He made the bed again, strained up the alarm clock that had been knocked by their activities, and jogged down the stairs.

“Morning!”

“Yen! I thought you would be in the hospital for at least another week.” The elder Li sibling sat on the couch, she looked pale and tired, but her smile was bright, and she had Mei tucked under one arm and Tam was sat on her other side.

“I didn’t want to stay there for any longer than I had to.” She said. “I discharged myself as soon as they said my brain was fine and called Shui to get me.”

“I doubt he was happy.”

“He was not. He’s in the garden, he wanted a word.” Kai looked around the room. “Lux is… not doing so well. Apparently, she was doing better?”

“She had a distraction.” Tam said. “Now she doesn’t. It makes sense that she’s gone back to how she was a few days ago, before this all started.” Yen sighed. “I don’t know though. Maybe this will have had a good effect on her, and she is outside because she likes the weather.”

“I’ll speak to her once I have spoken to Shui.” Kai said, before heading out the back door in the kitchen. Lux was sat at the far end, under the shade of a tree, her back to the trunk, staring up into the leaves. Shui was on a wooden bench against the back wall. “You wanted me?” Kai asked, sitting next to his brother.

“How long have you and Irene been together?” He asked. “And don’t try to lie to me, I can tell.” Kai sighed and leant his head back on the wall.

“A while. Since before the treaty was signed.” Shui blinked. “We didn’t want anyone to find out about us, she could get into a lot of trouble with the Library, it was why I didn’t tell you. Tam and Lux were told purely because we sleep better if we are near each other.” Shui chuckled.

“I always sleep easier with Yen within arm’s reach.” He said. “I know she’s safe if she is in my arms. I can’t blame you for feeling the same way.”

“Don’t tell father, or our uncles.” Kai said. “I’ll tell them when both Irene and I are ready for people to find out, but until then, I don’t want people to know, and Irene doesn’t either. We haven’t told her parents either.”

“Alright.” Shui said. “She’s good for you. I don’t know her very well, but she seems a good woman. Are you happy?” Kai nodded. “Good, that is all I can ask for.” He reached over to ruffle Kai’s hair.

“Oi.”

“What? You are my baby brother.” Shui said with a grin akin to Kai’s own when he was getting up to mischief. “Do you need me to buy you condoms before you go home?”

“Shui!” Kai yelped. “Shouldn’t I be offering those to you?” 

“I think it is too late for me.” Shui said.

“Well, you aren’t wrong there. I should offer you my congratulations.” Kai said. “Does Lux know yet?”

“Not yet. We were going to tell her, but Yen couldn’t do it. Her being back to how she was before the explosion isn’t helping. We will have to tell her soon though, before she works it out for herself, Yen is three months along, so it won’t be long before we cannot hide it.”

“Only a month after Fen was taken.” Kai said. “Poor timing.” Shui swallowed and nodded.

“Lux knew that we wanted another child. But the timing is just wrong now. If it was a few weeks along it would be easier, but so close to when she was… you should have seen her Kai. I think the stuffed rabbit lived here for the first month or so. Tam would make excuses to stay off work so that he could make sure she ate.”

“I wish I could have been here for her.” Kai said quietly. “Sometimes I do regret leaving the way I did, and not… I wouldn’t have come back when I left the Library, but I could have come to see you all, and I chose not to.”

“You were busy. And you have your own life.” Shui said. “Be here for now, that is what she needs. Besides, we could all see that you weren’t happy here, or at home.” He stood up. “A word now and then about you are doing would be appreciated though.”

“I will.” He said. “And I’ll come back to see you if you want.” Shui smiled, and ruffled his hair, ignoring Kai’s groan of protest. Shui vanished into the house and Kai got up and joined Lux under the tree. “So,” He said. “What are we thinking about?”


	17. Chapter 17

“So, what are we thinking about?”

“The pointlessness of trying when all I ever do is fail.” She said dryly. “And what is for lunch. Also is it safe to bleach an entire bedroom, namely the one you and Irene were in. I was next door.”

“Ah.”

“Ah indeed.” She arched an eyebrow. “I have condoms in my room if you run out.” He pinched her arm. “What? Do you want spawn?”

“Spawn?”

“Do you prefer sprogs?” She asked. “Do you two want children?”

“I would like to, one day. I love Irene and maybe, we will have a family together. We don’t know yet, Irene’s work is important to her.” Lux nodded. “And you want to distract me.”

“I don’t like talking about how I feel.” She said with a sigh, dropping her head. “I feel like my brain is rebelling in ways that I cannot begin to explain to someone who doesn’t know what it is like. No one will ever take your child from you. You will never have to deal with people spreading lies and rumours about you. You will never know what it is like to know if you will ever see your child again. And that is what my life it now. I want to see him again, and I doubt that I ever shall.”

“I am trying.” Kai said. “Wu Kun has agreed to talk to me. Hopefully I can convince him to at least let you see Fen. I can’t make promises though Lux. Not if I don’t know why he won’t let you see him.”

“I don’t know.” She said tearfully. “I swear Kai, I do not know. I thought that everything was fine. We had an agreement. We… We were in a romantic relationship.” He sighed. “I didn’t say that earlier. I was embarrassed. I should have known better, but I trusted him anyway.”

“Did the relationship end when you gave birth?” He asked. She shook her head. “Before?”

“When we found out that we were having a boy.” She said. “He drove me home. I had left some things at his house and he’d already put it in a box for me. He said thank you, and he left me at the door. I didn’t see him again until I was in labour and I called him.” She let out a bitter laugh. “He used me Kai.” She threw her head back hard enough to knock it on the tree and winced. “He wanted a child because it was expected of him, and I was the idiot that fell for his act. I thought he actually cared for me.”

“That doesn’t make you an idiot.” Kai said. “He used you. That is on him, not on you. What will you do after this?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go travelling. If Wu Kun still won’t let me see him that is. See the worlds. Learn to cook.” Kai snorted. “Get my masters. Develop alcoholism. Maybe have a few public scandals like Tam. Get into a bar fight. I have never been free to do as I please.”

“Go back a minute. Public scandals?”

“Ask him about them. It is quite funny actually.” She said. “I have been very well behaved compared to him, or at least, compared to the newspapers believe him to be.”

“Don’t try and distract me.” Kai said.

“If I wanted to do that, I would bet you that I could get higher in the tree than you could.” Kai looked up.

“I think I could get higher than you could.” He replied, letting himself get distracted. “We can always talk whilst sat in the tree.” Lux smiled, and nodded, they both scrambled up before Kai jumped up to grab the lowest branch and pull himself up onto it, Lux followed as soon as he had moved on to the next branch.

They climbed up with the practised ease of natural athletes until they settled on two branches, stretching their legs out and rustling leaves. “I’m higher.” Lux said.

“Yes, by all of three inches.” Kai snorted. “You’ll be fine when I leave, right?” Lux shrugged.

“I haven’t been fine in a long time. I don’t know if I will be fine again, I lost my son Kai. I know it is tradition, but it is just cruel to do things this way, if I could go back in time, I think I would do it. I know I am being selfish, but if I could go back to before… I would.”

“I don’t think you are selfish.” Kai said. “I think you have been hurt, and you don’t want to be hurt anymore.” The back door slid open and they both peered down.

“Hey, do you two want…” Shui’s voice trailed off when he realised that he couldn’t see them. “Yen, did you see them come back in? Could they have gone round the side?” He looked around the sides of the house and frowned.

“Did you lose them?” Yen called.

“I think so. Where could they have gone in a closed garden?” Shui headed back inside. Ten minutes later the door opened again, and Irene stepped out into the garden, she took a look around before crossing over to the tree.

“Do you two fancy getting out of that tree?” She asked up to them, Kai peered down at her.

“Do you fancy coming up here?” He asked. Irene pressed her lips together as she tried not to smile, before she nodded and took a running jump to grab a hold of the lowest branch and hauled herself up with much less finesse than they had managed. She was careful as she climbed up into the branches to perch near to Kai.

“Why are we in a tree?” She asked. “Last time I was in a tree I was stuck up there for hours in the rain, I do not recommend it. And the time before that I broke my wrist when I fell out.”

“Well, hopefully that won’t happen again.” Kai said. “But I am not at all surprised that you managed that. You have a attract trouble.”

“Oh are you changing your name to trouble now?” Lux said and Kai tilted his head back as he laughed. “Can you remember when your father called us the troublesome trio?”

“Was this before or after you pushed me down the stairs?” Kai asked.

“After.” Lux said. “You completely had that coming, the telling off was well worth it.” Irene frowned. “Ever had someone think it was a good idea to pull on the strap of your bra and then let go so you get slapped with the elastic.” Irene nodded. “He wouldn’t stop so I pushed him down the stairs and broke his ankle. I didn’t mean for him to break his ankle, or to really fall down the stairs, that was just a benefit.” Irene laughed and Kai rolled his eyes to the sky.

“Gūgū hé shūshu?” They looked down as they heard Mei and Lux dropped out of the tree. “Gūgū!” Lux put her finger to her lips and shushed her, glancing towards the house.

“Come on Mei, we’re playing in the tree, you can’t tell though.” Mei grinned and ran through the grass to Lux’s arms, who easily picked her up and set her on her hip. “Hold on tight, and you need to be quiet.” The girl giggled and nodded, pushing her hand against her lips to try and shush herself as Lux climbed back into the tree, sitting Mei on the branch below her, where the branch was wider, and it would hurt a lot less if she fell.

“This isn’t funny you two!” Yen shouted as she made her way out into the garden. She crossed to the tree. “Get out of there right now.”

“No. You get in the tree.” Lux said. “Come on. I want to jump down at whoever comes out last.” Lux sighed and she looked like she was seriously debating whether or not she was about to climb up into the tree. “Come on Yen. Mei is fine.” Mei waved.

“Shui! Can you come here a minute?” Lux and Kai sighed, and Irene nearly laughed at how childish they were when put together, trouble indeed. Shui came out and stopped by Yen. “They’re hiding in the tree. Help me climb up there?” Shui laughed before he laced his fingers together for her to climb up, and he followed a second later, sitting by Mei and wrapping his arm around her.

“How do we get Tam or Vale out here now?” Kai said. “Who would be better to jump out at? I am saying Tam.”

“Agreed.” Lux said. “How do we get Vale out here though?”

“Wait and see who gets curious first?” Irene said. “And then hope Vale is willing to actually climb into the tree, this probably isn’t his kind of thing. Would Tam be more willing to climb a tree?”

“Why are you all in a tree?” Kai had to grab Irene’s wrist when she slipped, Vale having made her jump. She bit her lip to not swear, it had jarred her shoulder and she carefully dragged herself back onto the branch.

“We want to jump out at Tam.” Lux said. “Want to climb up here?”

“Not really.” Vale said with a sigh. “Would standing at the side of the house suffice?” Lux nodded.

“Are you sure Vale?” Kai asked. “It isn’t hard to climb up here, Irene managed it.” She smacked his shoulder and he poked her.

“She nearly fell out of it.” Vale said dryly. “I am not climbing a tree so that you can be childish.”

“Now to just get Tam out here.” Yen said, pulling her phone out, from what Irene could see, it was very high tech and she watched as she selected a camera app and aimed it at the ground. “Lux if you scream, he will come running out of here.” Lux shook her head.

“Mei, shout for your uncle Tammy please.” Shui said with a grin that seemed genetic, Mei and Kai had the same grin as him and it made Irene smile too.

“Shūshu!” Mei shouted as loud as she could, Irene heard something shatter, Tam had been holding something when she had shouted and clearly dropped it in shock. He came racing out into the garden, looking around in desperation and confusion.

“Mei?” He shouted, spinning round. “Where are you?” Lux held her hand out to silence them all, she shifted into a crouch, somehow managing to balance on the branch, perched on the balls of her feet like a cat. As Tam came under the branches, not looking up because who would expect to find five adults and a toddler hiding in a tree, Lux tensed and as he turned back to the house, she dropped.

Tam shrieked. There was no other word for the scream he let out as he fell back onto the grass. Lux had landed almost silently as he turned back around, and he had reacted on instinct. It just didn’t happen to be a particularly good or useful instinct.

Lux was laying on the grass, arms wrapped around her middle as she laughed. Tam sat up, staring at his sister, and then looking up and jumping again as everyone peered down at him. He flopped back onto the grass.

“You are all evil.” He muttered. “Seriously? I thought something was wrong! Are you trying to kill me?” Lux was still laughing but she nodded, and he kicked her in the shin, she pulled her legs closer to her as she moved to lay on her back and wiped her eyes. “I hate you. I am disowning you.”

Shui and Kai carefully helped Irene, Mei and Yen down from the tree as Vale emerged from the shadows to join them on the grass. Kai slung him arm over Irene’s shoulders and dragged her down onto the grass with him, Tam made the fake vomiting sound that he had done when Kai had seen her in her ballgown. Kai swatted him before burying his face into the nape of Irene’s neck. It was a rarity that they could show open affection.

The thought made her freeze.

“Shui worked it out.” Kai said, feeling her tense up. “Sorry, I should have said that.” She relaxed a little. “In hindsight, I don’t think either of us would recognise subtlety if it hit us in the face.”

“We would.” Irene said. “The second time it hits us.” He laughed. “Maybe the third for you, I am a technically trained spy. You are a drop out.”

“Ow.” He put his hand to his chest. “I would make a superb spy, thank you very much. Besides, we still get to work together, even if I do worry about you whilst I wait for you to come home.”

“Believe me, he does.” Vale said. “One of these days he will find a better coping mechanism than pacing my lodgings and wearing down my carpet.” Shui laughed.

“Kai has never had a good coping mechanism. At least I don’t think he’s going to run off this time. Or get into another duel.” Irene sat up and looked between the brothers. “You didn’t know? He got sent to live with our uncle because he got into a fight. Not the best way of dealing with a short temper since he did heavens knows what and then joined the Library.”

“The temper hasn’t gone.” Kai draped his hand over his eyes.

“I am better at controlling it now than I was at eighteen.” He muttered. “Can we not talk about that all? I try not to think about it.”

“I’ve been in a few duels.” Vale said as Irene lay back down again, grass tickling the back of her neck. “It isn’t the best habit in the world in all honesty, but I have yet to be killed, so it could be worse.”

“That it could.” Irene said.

“You cannot judge anyone Irene. All you do is cause trouble and read books.” Kai said. “I will admit you are fantastic company for when there is trouble.”

“’Company’.” Shui said with air quotes and a snort. “That isn’t the nicest way of putting it.”

“Go away.” Kai said. “You are twisting my words.” He slid a finger along Irene’s arm, it tickled and, despite the warmth, left goose bumps in its wake. “If the world is going to hell in a handbasket, Irene is a good person to be around, she usually has a good idea of what to do next.”

“Usually?”

“Well there was that time that you went running off into the Library of a madman.” Vale said.

“Or the time you blew up a large quantity of bootleg alcohol. Followed a random cat through Paris and was likely nearly kidnapped, underground auctions… I could go on.”

“Please do not.” Irene said. “We get it, I cause a good fifty percent of the trouble that we find ourselves in, but I do recall a good deal of trouble that you started yourself.” Kai smiled. “Or Vale. Or someone else and we end up dealing with it.”

“Sounds tiring.” Lux said. She was on the grass next to Vale and she rolled over to lay on her stomach, perching her jaw on the back of her hands so that she wasn’t face first in the grass.

“It is.” Irene admitted. “I keep meaning to ask for some time off, but something always comes up and happens. I always have something else that needs to be done. This was meant to be my time off, but O’Hara disagrees.” She propped herself up on her elbows. “I don’t think I have had a holiday in… well, not quite ten years, but close, if we aren’t counting medical leave.”

“Medical leave never counts.” She lay back down again. “You need a holiday.” She held her hands up to look at her arms.

“I’d say somewhere sunny, but I would burn.” She mused.

“You should go to a spa.” Tam said. “It would be nice and relaxing, great for your health too.”

“I have never been to a spa before.” Irene replied. “Maybe you are on to something. If I can convince them to give me the time to actually go to one.”

“You know that there are spas in my world.” Vale said. “In fact, there’s an entire city for it.” His voice was dry, and Irene glared at him. “You may have heard of it. It’s called-”

“Spider!” Lux’s voice caught in her throat and she scrabbled to her feet. “It’s not on me is it?” She brushed her hands over her clothes, frantically trying to check that there wasn’t a spider on her. In her desperation to make sure that she was spider free she lost her footing and fell.

Vale grabbed her before she could hit her head off the tree trunk. She ended up sat on his lap, staring at him with wide eyes. “Stay very still.” He said, before reaching out and carefully extracting a small spider, tangled up in her hair. He felt the tickle of its legs run over the back of his hand before he flicked it away, back into the grass.

“You can’t seriously still be scared of spiders, can you?” Kai asked, shaking his head. “Lux you are twenty-eight. It wasn’t about to hurt you; it was tiny and they don’t even get poisonous in England.”

“Venomous.”

“Whatever.”

“I don’t like the way that they move.” Lux said, crossing her arms. “It unnerves me. And I am allowed to be scared of spiders.” Kai rolled his eyes. “Tam is scared of them too. It isn’t my fault that I am not an outdoors person.”

“You should have seen the spiders we had one.” Irene said. “About… this big.” She indicated a good nine or ten inches wide with her hands. “Venomous but not actually toxic. Still quite terrifying to come home to.” Lux shuddered.

“Before you get into an in depth discussion on spiders, do you mind getting off me?” Vale asked. Lux looked back to him, and then down to the fact that she was still sat on his legs, his arm half around her waist from grabbing her.

“Sorry.” Lux scrambled off his legs to sit between him and Kai again, not laying in the grass. “We need to cut the lawn.”

“Probably.” Tam said with a shrug. “Neither of us are going to do that for at least another two weeks, are we?”

“Nope.” Lux said. Kai’s phone buzzed and he sighed, sitting up to pull it out. “Everything alright?” She asked, watching him frown. Irene propped herself up again.

“My uncle wants to speak to me before this evening.” Kai lied; he had already prepared the lie anyway. “In an hour. Sorry, I’ll have to leave soon to see what that is about. I can meet you later though.”

“Liar.” Lux said. “You are meeting Wu Kun, aren’t you?” Kai sighed and nodded. “Then just tell me that. I am not a child.”

“I am!” Mei said happily. Shui ruffled her hair and she giggled, curling up against her father, she had been playing with the daisies that were growing in the garden. Lux swallowed and got to her feet, brushing grass off herself.

“I’ll be inside.” She said. “I am done with nature for today.” Kai opened his mouth and she shook her head. “I think I need to be alone for a bit. I’ll be fine.”


	18. Chapter 18

“Are you alright?” Irene asked, touching Kai’s wrist. His eyes were red, and his hands covered in scales. There were people all around them, all in robes. Even Kai was wearing something similar, deep blue hemmed in grey. He shook his head. “What happened?”

“I can’t talk about it right now.” He said. “And… I need to speak with Lux as soon as this is done.” He looked around. “We’ll be going in any minute, so I have time to think of what I am going to say to her, but I don’t think it will be good.”

“He isn’t going to let her see him, is he?” He nodded. “And you support that?”

“I don’t have a choice.” He said. The chatter around them died down. “I have to go. Li Ming should show you where to go.” Irene nodded, grabbing his hand to squeeze it tightly. “I hope that this won’t take long. I am so tired.”

“We’ll be home soon.” She released his hand. “You can rest then.” He tried to give her a smile, but he couldn’t manage it. “I will see you soon. I love you.” She dropped her voice to a whisper, barely breathing the words but knowing that he knew exactly what she had said.

“I love you too.”

Tam watched as Lux paced the small anti-chamber again and again, she’d been highly strung and tense all through the court session. He knew that she disliked speaking in front of the couple of dozen courtiers on a good day, they had all been called forth to give their evidence on the events, but today was worse than normal.

The door opened and Irene and Vale stepped through. Lux’s step faltered but she recovered quickly and kept walking. “Kai should be along shortly.” Irene said quietly. “He was just talking to his uncle.” Lux’s expression was grim, but she nodded.

Irene walked over to the large, open window, and as she looked down, her stomach dropped. She felt vertiginous, putting her hand out to lean on the windowsill as she looked down at the vertical drop straight down to crashing waves.

“That is… quite a fall.” Vale said, she hadn’t heard him come over. “Don’t you think it is a bit dangerous?” Tam shrugged.

“Sometimes people throw themselves out of there.” Lux said, she slowed her steps and eventually stopped in between Irene and Vale, her eyes focused on something in the distance. “Some of them survive. It’s a kind of… challenge, you see? To see if you trust your abilities. Either you transform, or you… Well, if the tide is high you are fine.”

“If they aren’t?”

“The rocks.” Lux gave a twitch of her shoulders. “No one really does it these days. They either no longer feel the need to prove their abilities in such a way or have decided that seppuku is a better way out, leaves something for the families to burn or bury.” Irene and Vale stared at her, a little shocked by how glib she was being about the whole matter of suicide.

“Have you ever…” Vale trailed off, indicating to the window with a wave of his hand.

“Twice, though I knew that the tide was high. Kai did it too.” She said, leaning on the railing to look down.

“Why?” Irene asked in shock, thinking that Kai was never the kind to do such a stupid thing.

“He was really bored.” Lux said.

“And drunk.” Tam added with a grin. “Oh that was fun, until we got the telling off of a lifetime, my ears were ringing for weeks.”

“Ears? You weren’t the one with a black eye in the end of it.” Lux muttered.

“The rocks?”

“No, our mother.” Lux said. “She had quite the temper, and as punishment for encouraging such antics in a prince, I got a hit around the face and a black eye for two weeks.”

“That’s barbaric.” Irene breathed.

“Your parents never hit you?” Vale asked, Irene frowned and shook her head.

“My mother can shout. And I think that was more than enough.” Irene said. “A couple of my teachers at school had no problems with using a cane on us, but never my parents. Yours did? That is awful!”

“My siblings and I were perfectly well behaved.” Vale said with a shrug.

“Remind me that, if I have children, to keep them away from you.” Irene muttered.

“I wouldn’t hit a child.” Vale said. “God no. Who do you take me for?” Irene didn’t get a chance to respond. The door behind her swung open and hit the wall with a thud. They all turned to watch Kai as he entered the room.

“Tell me the truth Lux.” He demanded. “No more lies. Because I have just been told a very different story from what you have been telling people. And I know you very well Lux, and this other story is a lot more plausible than what you have said.”

“What?” Lux went stiff, her eyes narrowing. “What has he told you Kai? I swear that it’s lies. I wouldn’t do anything… He is keeping me from my child Kai!”

“You have hurt yourself.” Kai hissed. “Again. I thought you were over this. He doesn’t want you near your son because you are a danger to him, and yourself. Tell me that is a lie. Prove to me that it isn’t true. Because I know why you wear long sleeves.”

“I cant.” Lux said, shaking her head. “Don’t you trust me Kai? Me? We have known each other our entire lives. It’s me.” She looked to Tam. “Tam, please. Say something.” Her voice cracked as she stepped toward her brother.

“You didn’t used to wear long sleeves all the time.” He said. He shook his head. “I can’t Lux, not unless that you can prove that he is lying.”

“Give me your arm Lux.” Kai said, holding his hand out to her.

“No.” Lux cradled her arm close to her chest. “Kai, please. My son… He needs his mother. I never even held him. I don’t even have a picture of him. I have nothing. He’ll grow up without knowing me.”

“Lux, now.” He snapped. “Or I will make you.” Lux swallowed, taking a step back, her back pressed to the railing. Kai grabbed her arm and she gasped as she felt nails digging into her wrist. He pulled her arm out and pushed her sleeve up. “Lux…”

The cuts were deep into her pale skin, more than he could count, angry and red, some healed, some half healed, a lot fresh. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how much it was hurting her to have the rough sleeves of her clothes against it.

“You are a danger to yourself. And to him.” Kai said, dropping her arm in disgust. “I agree. I am not going to help you until you get some help. Until you are… not doing this.”

Lux shoved him away. “You absolute… bastard.” Lux hissed. Kai’s eyes were red and sharp. “You are an idiot. And you have just happily ruined my life because you think you know better. You think you know me and yet you prove to know nothing.”

“How dare you!” Kai snapped.

“I dare.” Her voice was low and dangerous. “I dare because you have ruined everything for me.” She ran her hands through her hair before looking down at her arm. She rolled up both sides of her sleeves as far as she could.

“Mister Vale.” She said, standing in front of him. “You are a knowledgeable man, a detective. You know about wounds, injuries, self-inflected or otherwise. Yes?”

“Yes.” Vale said.

“How old are my wounds?”

“They aren’t old enough to have been inflicted when you were expecting your son.” Vale said, looking at her arms for a long moment, and then up at Kai. “Even the fully healed ones, they cant be any older than three months, you were told a lie Strongrock.”

“I already told my uncle…” Kai said slowly, staring at Lux, his eyes slowly returning to blue. “Lux, if I had-”

“Enough!” She said, cutting him off. “I am done with you. You claim to know me, to be my friend. To care for me, to love me. And yet you betray me without so much of a thought, you didn’t even ask before you assumed that you knew me well enough to decide.”

“Lux, I am sorry.”

“No. I am done with you.” She said. “I don’t want to hear it. Or anything from you, ever again. You are a liar. You are stupid and pathetic, and I am done with you.” Kai growled, clenching his hands into fists.

“Stop!” Irene shouted as she saw Kai move to strike Lux, she jumped forward, putting herself in between the two of them.

And Kai hit her across the face, claws extended.

Irene hit the floor with a cry of pain and shock, hands flying to her face, feeling blood trickling through her fingers. She gasped, taking a deep breath, staring up at Kai with wide eyes. He stared back.

“What is happening here?” Irene stayed on the floor, unsure of who was at the door, probably one of the guards.

“It’s being dealt with.” Tam said, voice all business. “Go about your duties.” The door swung shut again and suddenly Vale was by Irene, slipping his arm around her and helping her to her feet. He pulled out his handkerchief and quickly stemming the flow of blood.

“What have you done?” Vale said in a low voice to Kai.

“Get out.” Kai said, his voice was full of danger and outside a storm was brewing. “Now, both of you.”

“No.” Irene’s face was burning, stinging like hellfire.

“Irene, get out of here, both of you should leave. I don’t want you to see what is going to happen now.”

“Enough Strongrock.” Vale snapped. “You have done enough damage here.”

“I will not tell you again. Go.” He wasn’t even looking at them. Irene swallowed a lump in her throat, her eyes were stinging, she thought that she was going to cry.

“Fine.” Irene said. “Vale, we should go. Kai… Find somewhere else to live when you get back to the other world. Lux isn’t the only person done with you.” She let herself lean on Vale; she didn’t trust her legs to function. “Come on, let’s find a Library, and get out of here.”

The sky split with a brilliantly blight blast of lightning as they made their way outside, with directions to where they could find enough books to get to a library. Both of them turned to look back and up at the sky in time to watch a dragon of pale gold take to the skies, and vanish into the thick, heavy clouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is... that  
> Should I apologise for breaking them up?   
> Who knows  
> Stay tuned for the next part, The Subtle Shard, coming... December? I am doing Nanowrimo next month so fics will be on the back burner until then, it's mostly written, I just need to finish the final chapter  
> I hope you enjoyed reading this, please comment and kudos, it gives me life

**Author's Note:**

> I am pretty fond of this story, it isnt finished yet so I'll be posting once a week until it is done. I'm doing campnanowrimo right now, so that's taking a lot of my attention that I normally pay to writing but hopefully I'll get it finished some time in the next couple of weeks


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